Chance or Fate
by YGP
Summary: AU-Lightning wasn't one looking for love nor did she wonder if she would ever find it. What if love decided to find her instead? Mostly T rated M for content later
1. The Day The Tomato Rolled

_**Author's Note: **Hi everyone! I'm YGP and this is my first Final Fantasy XIII fanfic. I wanted to at least get one out before the new game comes out next year.  
_

_So with this story, it's AU with a few changes with the characters that you'll read further into the story but I hope that you will enjoy it!  
_

* * *

_Chapter 1: The Day The Tomato Rolled:_

"Before I call this meeting to a close, any further input from any officer on either side? PSICOM?" Inside of a secret military room, high ranking officers were sitting around at a table in silence. The three consisting of one female and two males for PSICOM kept their peace as they looked at the head leader of their meeting. When no one responded, the man soon turned his attention to the other side. "Guardian Corps?" Along that side was one female and two males. They too gave no reply to the head leader's question. "With that, I call this meeting adjourned. I trust that you all will keep up with your duties, and we will meet back together in six months for the conference with the Academy on their research and development for what we requested."

On the side where the Guardian Corps were seated, the pink haired soldier closed her eyes as her arms were crossed against her chest. Now that the meeting was over, she could return home to where someone was waiting for her. Although she didn't show it on the outside, there was a bit of happiness within her. The council was formed by the military to help make decisions on the matters concerning them, and get input from the two separate divisions PSICOM and the Guardian Corps. It is only made up of a select few, chosen to be a part of it and led by the General of the military overall. So far, it just consisted of the seven of them. There were times that the soldier had to travel in order to attend meetings but at the end of them, she was always content to go back home. Along with her fellow officers, she walked out of the room into the hallway. Before they could leave, they were called back by the PSICOM officers for some casual chatting. When the pink haired soldier glanced behind her, she saw the other female officer from the other side approach her. There was half grin, half smirk on her face. "Lieutenant Farron."

Lightning turned to the woman with a serious look. "Colonel Nabaat."

The caramel skin toned woman adjusted her glasses upon her face, still keeping her smile displayed clearly on her lips. "Looks like we won't meet again for a while. How are things in your division?"

Lightning didn't reply. She knew the woman wasn't there to be nice or make small talk. It had been that way ever since she was allowed to join the council a few years ago. Nabaat could see that she wasn't going to answer so she continued on. Her gloved hand went out toward Lightning but Lightning blocked her hand from reaching her by holding up her arm up to her own face. Nabaat put her hand down as her smirk came back. "I'm sorry about that. It's still amazing that someone so young rose up so high in the rankings and got to be on the council. How old are you now?"

Lightning turned and began walking away. She wasn't going to stay around to play nice to someone who she could tell despised her. "That's none of your business."

However, the conversation couldn't have ended there. Nabaat would only keep going until she would get under Lightning's skin. "I'm sure that your father's word traveled well before he died. To see how his little girl got on the council by name not merit."

Angry by her accusation, Lightning turned around and stepped back toward her. Usually, she would brush it off but it was getting hard to when she kept implying the same thing over and over again. "I did not get this because of my last name!"

Shortly after, someone dressed in a white uniform and cape stepped over and placed a hand on Nabaat's shoulder. When she looked over, she saw a man with short, straight, black hair and hazel eyes. "That's enough Colonel."

"Raines." Nabaat was a little surprised to see him. After a few seconds, she smiled over at Lightning. "As always, it was nice to see you again."

Lightning didn't response back. Unlike her, she couldn't share the same sentiment. Nabaat was trying hard to hide her insults. Afterwards, the Colonel turned and took off, leaving things alone for now. The man looked over to Lightning. "Lieutenant Farron. I am sorry about colleague."

"It's fine." The two stood in silence until Lightning turned and began walking away. Things were beginning to get a little awkward. "See you next time at the conference."

"Lieutenant wait." As he stood there, he was trying to think of what to say to her, but now he had to say something before she left. "I was wondering if you weren't busy-" Raines called out to her but she kept walking.

"I really need to go now." Lightning walked out of his sight. As soon as she knew so, she breathed out a little sigh of relief. Already, she knew what he was going to say to her as soon as he started. She could just tell by the look in his eyes. After a few times of him asking and listening to the advice of someone else, she decided to try and go on one date with him. That would be the first time and last time she would try. Things were uninteresting when all they mainly talked about was politics, military opinions, and a few common interests here and there. There just wasn't a connection.

Not only that but she wasn't one looking for love nor did she wonder if she would ever find it. It just wasn't for her. Her focus rested somewhere else that she considered more important.

* * *

"Big sister!" The twelve year old girl yelled as she rushed toward the front door that was open. Her two pink, long, curly ponytails bounced along behind her. Instantly her greeting earned a smile from the older sibling. She held out her arms as the girl placed her arms around her waist. The girl closed her eyes as she hugged her tightly. Lightning looked down as she continued smiling.

"About time you got back." Lightning lifted her head to the voice that she heard a few feet away. A raven haired woman placed her hand on her hip. She arched her eyebrow as she grinned. "What? You didn't miss me either?"

Lightning stood up straight. The smile she had faded away and replaced with a dull expression. "No."

The woman pretended to be hurt by her comment as she still had her grin. She closed her eyes as she placed her hand onto her chest. "Ouch! And I was hoping that you would this time. After all I've done for you."

Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. Then, she looked down at her little sister. "Do you have everything packed and ready to go Serah?"

Serah smiled and took off running. "Just a minute! I have to go get it!" Shortly after, Serah disappeared into the hallway, leaving Lightning and the woman alone. Lightning's eyes traveled over to her. "Fang. Thanks for looking after Serah since I had to leave again."

Fang waved her hand. "No problem! It got me off of work a few days. Any chance I can get a raise out of this?"

Lightning raised her eyebrow, somewhat amazed at the nerve that she would ask. "A raise? Really?"

Fang shrugged. "Doesn't hurt to ask. You're a high ranking officer."

Lightning crossed her arms as she frowned. "So are you."

"I was just kidding! Geez! Always uptight. I think the army's working you too hard. You need to relax once in a while. How about you come out with me for a drink? That'll loosen you up." Lightning wasn't really in the mood for going out. Usually, she wasn't. Not getting an answer right then, Fang decided to brush it aside and change the subject. "So? How was your little trip?"

Lightning placed her hand on her hip. "It was all right. Nothing special."

"I see. Just boring business talk." Fang was hoping to hear something interesting but she guessed with a just business meeting, how exciting could it get?

Relaxing a little, Lightning's expression softened. "Was everything all right with Serah?"

Fang nodded as she smiled. "She was fine. Just spent time here playing with Vanille." Then, the two women heard the sound of feet running against the floor. They turned their heads to see Serah dash out with her stuff in hand and Vanille following behind. Both of them had playful grins on their faces. Serah stopped in front of Lightning and Vanille stopped in front of her. Vanille grabbed Serah's hand. The two girls that were the same age have been friends for a long time and went to the same school in New Bodhum. "I'm really glad that you could stay over!"

Serah nodded as she smiled. "Me too."

Lightning turned toward the door while looking over at Fang. "Thanks again."

Before she could leave, she heard Fang's voice. "What do you say? Wanna go out later?"

"Another time." Soon, Lightning stepped out with Serah following behind her.

At their home, Lightning opened the fridge door. Immediately, her nose was met with a sour smell. She sighed and closed the door. "Great." Her body stood up straight. "The least Fang could've done was take some of this food before it went bad."

Nearby at the table, Serah was sitting behind her as she was busy going through her schoolbag. "It's okay. I need to go to the store anyway."

Lightning turned around, interested. "What for?"

Serah's eyes lit up as she lifted them to her sister. "I need to get something for school."

"Well we'll just get it all out of the way tomorrow." Lightning told her.

From her bag, Serah pulled out a piece of paper. Lightning stepped over and glanced to see what she was working on. "Doing your homework?" Serah scratched her head as she stared confused at the paper she held in front of her. "Yeah. I'm having a little trouble with it."

Lightning leaned over her shoulder. "What is it?"

The young girl sighed as she stared at the words on the page. "It's my science class again. It's hard." Lightning read over the questions but didn't know the answers for herself. Finally, she stood up straight. "Just look it up. I'm sure you'll find the answer."

Serah nodded as she smiled. "So? How was your trip?" With her hand, Lightning rubbed the top of her head and headed toward her room. "It's was just boring stuff. Nothing really to tell. Be ready tomorrow. It's going to be a long day."

* * *

The next afternoon, Lightning and Serah traveled together along the sands of the beach, heading to open market that was ahead. Serah looked up at her older sister. "Did you really have to wear your uniform?"

With a little curiosity, Lightning looked down at her. "What's wrong with wearing it?"

"This is a time to relax. You wear it almost all the time." Serah groaned.

Lightning turned her head back forward. "It's no big deal. Just remember everything we're looking for."

Serah looked ahead as well. She grabbed onto the straps of her backpack that was on her back, determined and ready to go. "Right."

As they went through the market, it was crowded with people shopping for fresh produce and meat. At one table, Serah was searching through some of the tomatoes as Lightning was looking through the other vegetables deciding what to get. Serah pulled the piece of paper from her backpack that she was working on yesterday. A confused expression became written across her face. "Let's see... I'll get extra credit if I can bring in something that's naturally grown and not mass produced by something." She picked one up and stared at it but she was unsure. She searched through a couple more but the search didn't get any easier. "Big sister?"

Lightning looked over curiously. "What?"

"I need to find a vegetable that's naturally grown as part of extra credit. Can you help me?" Lightning nodded. Her eyes spotted the seller behind the table and tried to get the man's attention before he walked away but it was too late. Giving up, she sighed and looked down at the table. When Serah picked up another one, they both looked at it together. Just staring at it, Lightning couldn't tell the difference between the one Serah was holding and the others ones in the baskets. "I really can't tell."

Serah turned the piece of fruit in her hand, trying to find some clue. "I think that it is. I'm just not sure."

Lightning poked at it with the tip of her finger. "Seems natural to me."

Serah looked upset and concerned. "Don't poke it too much! We might have to buy it!" Lightning grabbed for it but Serah tried to hold onto it. The tomato slipped and rolled out of her hand on the ground. Afterwards, Serah searched around and under the table for it as she looked worried. Lightning began walking around, looking for it as well. Finally, her eyes spotted it in the sand, in the middle of the walkway. A sigh of relief left from her that no one stepped on it and that she would have to pay for something she couldn't use. She headed over and reached for it.

Suddenly, a hand reached over at the same time. For a brief moment, fingers brushed lightly against hers. "Excuse me? Did you drop this?"

Lightning lifted her eyes to see emerald ones staring back at her. Quickly, she reacted by removing her hand. The man picked up the piece of fruit by his feet. Both of them stood up straight as the man still held it in his hand. A smile curved at his lips. Before Lightning could answer, Serah ran over. "Did you get it?"

The man held his hand out toward the girl. "Here."

Nervously, Serah took it from him and observed it. "It seems okay. Maybe that proves that it's naturally grown."

"There are several ways to prove that it is." Surprised, Serah stared over at the man as Lightning gave an interested look. The man held out his hand. "Is it all right if I see?" Serah nodded and handed it back to him. For a few seconds, he studied it on all sides. "I see. It's well hidden but this wasn't naturally grown outside like on some kind of farm." Afterwards, the man handed it back to Serah. She gave a look of disappointment and went back to the stand. There, she placed it back in the basket with the others. "Come on. They're probably aren't any here."

Lightning followed behind her, moving to the other vegetables and searching for other things they were looking to buy. "Excuse me?" The two girls looked over to see the man holding another tomato in hand. "If you're still looking, this is definitely one."

Serah looked surprised but then smiled, thankful. She took it from his hand. "Thank you!"

The man looked curious. "May I ask what's it for?"

"It's a part of my science homework. Now I'm going to get extra credit. I could sure use it." Eager, she took out her homework and placed it on the table to make sure that there wasn't anything else on it she needed to find while she was there. Intrigued, the man glanced over at her paper. "Those are a lot of questions. This is your science homework?"

Serah nodded. "Yeah. It's a little hard. I can't figure out some of the answers to these. I've been looking through my book for hours."

The man pointed toward the top of her paper. "So far, the first answer that you got isn't right." Right then, he explained the real answer. Serah looked surprised but then pulled out a pencil and wrote down what the man told her.

Nearby, Lightning watched them carefully but uneasy about the stranger helping her. "Serah. You shouldn't bother the man. I'm sure he has somewhere he needs to be." Serah looked over disappointed and moaned. "But this could be the answer to helping me with my homework! I can't fail this!"

The man smiled to assure her that it was okay. "It's all right. I'm not in any rush."

Lightning crossed her arms as she glared seriously at Serah. "And what did I say about talking to strangers?"

An answer came to Serah's mind that would solve that problem. She smiled as she looked over toward the man. "Hi! My name is Serah! What's yours?"

Lightning looked slightly surprised. She didn't expect her to do that. "That's not what I meant."

The man shook her hand that she held out. "My name is Hope. It's nice to meet you Serah." Soon, his eyes lifted up to her older sister. "It's nice to meet you as well Ms…"

Lightning was unsure at first about shaking his hand but then gave in to be nice. She shook his hand. "Farron. Lightning Farron."

"Interesting name." Hope looked between the two. "So? How do you two know each other? Is this your daughter or… sister?"

Lightning gave a noticeable frown as she crossed her arms. On the other hand Serah closed her eyes as she snickered. "That's very nice of you to say so! It makes me feel young again!" Serah replied jokingly. She turned to her sister. "I told you, you should sleep more Lightning. Dark circles can make the face age."

Hope looked surprised and somewhat concerned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

Serah smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. Lightning is my big sister."

Nearby, Hope could see that the frown still wasn't going away. "I'm really sorry about that." Lightning turned back toward the table as she continued on with her shopping. She didn't think that she looked that old. "It's fine."

Quietly, Hope groaned in disappointment as he held his head down. That was a first impression ruined by words. "Hey!" Serah whispered loudly to him. She could see that he felt bad about the mistake. Hope looked surprised and leaned over a little toward her. "My sister isn't exactly one you want to insult."

Planning to ask for advice, he spoke in a low tone like she did. "So? What should I do?"

Serah grinned. Things may work out after all. "You should help me get my homework done. That will make it up to her."

Hope smiled a little and nodded. "Sure." Afterwards, he stood up straight. Serah went back speaking regularly and glanced between the two of them. "My sister doesn't know much about this science stuff and I have to get this done by tomorrow."

Lightning was still uncertain about what to do but she did want Serah to get her work finished. "There are a lot of people around shopping here. You wouldn't get any work done."

Serah groaned. This could have been her one opportunity to do really good on this. Her eyes turned up at Hope. "Is there any way you can help?"

Hope shrugged a little. "I'm not doing anything after I leave here. It's a little close to dinner. If you show me a good restaurant then I'm sure that we can find a table to work at."

"Fine." After hearing her, the two looked over at Lightning as she looked over at them. She didn't like the idea, but at least they would be out in a public place. "We'll find somewhere we can go." Serah jumped a little as a big smile came upon her face. "Thank you sis!"

"Let's just finish shopping first then we can figure out where to go." Anxiously, Serah nodded. In silence, Lightning continued searching and putting food into a bag. Hope looked over at her, still wondering if she was offended from earlier. More than that, he felt as if he should strike up some kind of conversation to reduce the awkwardness. Finally, Lightning turned her head to him. Without her looking, she could feel his eyes staring at her. She wished that he would stop. "Yes?" she asked coldly.

Hope shook his head nervously and continued looking around for food as well. "Sorry! It was nothing."

Sometime later after traveling through the market, the three met outside of it and followed Lightning to a restaurant that she thought would be a good place to go. Then, she turned to Hope, getting straight to the point. "Meet us back here. We're going to drop this stuff off. We'll only be gone for a few minutes."

Serah looked up at her, anxiously. "But we didn't get a chance to stop by the other store!"

"I guess sweets will have to wait. That is if you still want help with your homework that is." Serah groaned as she held her head down. Lightning took one last glance at Hope before she walked off with Serah and headed toward their house. Hope caught the bit of suspicion and stern glare in her eyes once she looked at him. Along with her military uniform, the woman appeared to be very strict. Noting that, he had to be careful not to get on her bad side.

At home, Lightning and Serah continued putting stuff away in their fridge. When they were close to done, Lightning looked back at Serah. "Serah. I want you to be careful when you talk to people." Serah lifted her eyes as she looked curious. "What do you mean?"

Lightning stood up straight and placed her hand on her hip as she turned toward her. "Just remember next time what I said about talking to strangers." Serah gave a little smile. "I don't think we have anything to worry about sis. He seems like a nice guy. I think he just wants to help."

Lightning's expression turned into a more serious one, thinking that she getting too naive. "No one wants to just "help". All I ask is that you just be careful. Be on your guard. I don't need anything happening to you. Got it?"

Serah pouted as she looked down and carried the rest of her stuff away. "Yes sis..."

After getting everything packed away, they returned back to the restaurant that was their meeting place. Lightning's eyes spotted Hope sitting at a booth alone. His eyes were glued toward the table as he looked somewhat concerned. Once they stopped by the table, Hope lifted his head. At first, he didn't realize that they showed up already. Serah took off her backpack and stood in front of him. "Hi!"

His lips curved into a smile. "Hey!" Seeing that she was waiting before him and that she didn't sit in the seat across from him, Hope slid over so that she could sit down beside him. He was a little surprised that she did so and that her sister allowed her to, but it made sense since he would be helping her. He would need to read the questions without looking at them upside down. Lightning sat down across from him. Hope looked between the two of them. "So is this place any good?"

Serah grinned. "Yeah! Sis and I come here all the time!"

Lightning stared outside as she seemed uninterested. Hope looked down somewhat nervous around her but then turned to the real intention at hand. "So? Show me what you're working on." Serah nodded and pulled out her homework and books from her book bag. Through dinner, they ate and worked as Lightning ate with them and watched them in silence. The setting sun had left from the sky and eventually turned into night. "All right! All done!" Serah smiled and held up the paper in front of her. "Wow! You just saved me from searching forever all in one day!"

Humorously, Hope grinned. "Another one saved from getting lost in the science world!" A giggle escaped from her lips at his words. Lightning looked over toward Serah, seeing that they were done. "Are you ready to go now?"

"In a minute." Serah got up from the table and took off for the bathroom.

Hope smiled as she watched her go. "She's a really smart kid." His eyes traveled toward Lightning seeing if there would be a response. The whole time, she had been quiet. "Yeah. Thank you for what you did for her. Now I don't have to worry about her staying up too late. Dinner's on me."

Hope shook his head. "There's no need. I really don't mind. It helps me too. I need to keep reminding myself even on the basic things. Still, those questions might be a little hard for kids to be asked for her grade. Thank you for showing me this place. It wasn't bad."

Lightning became a little curious and decided to indulge in conversation with the mysterious man. "You seem to know a lot about science."

He gave a nervous smile. "I try."

Lightning arched her eyebrow, continuing on. "Are you some sort of teacher or…?"

Some of his smile faded a bit as his eyes lowered. His fingers tapped lightly against the metal table. "I was a scientist." She was a little surprised. For some reason, he sounded somewhat regretful when he said it yet there was a faint smile on his face. "Was?"

Hope's eyes drifted off toward the side. He seemed uneasy about answering the question but he wouldn't deny her an answer. "It was… sort of a while ago." Hope's eyes lifted up to her, noticing her uniform. "Are you in the military?"

Lightning nodded. "Yes." Hope was a little amazed but he knew that she had to a part of it. It didn't hurt to ask. "Which branch? I'm guessing…Guardian Corps."

The soldier's expression changed into surprised and slightly impressed. "Yes. Usually people can't tell the different unless someone's wearing PSICOM armor." Hope rested his back against the booth chair, happy that he guessed it right. "I figured that you might live here so all I had to remember was which division controls what. I'm not sure about the rank..."

"Lieutenant." Lightning filled in the answer for him. His lips curved into a smile. "I see."

Serah returned back to where they were and sat in beside Lightning. "Do we have to go now?! Can't we stick around for dessert?!" Before Lightning could answer, she heard Hope's voice speak first. "Let me get that for you. After all, I was the one that stopped you from going to the store."

Serah tugged at her sister's arm. "Please!" Lightning looked into the cute, pleading eyes of the girl before her. If there was anyone she would give in for, it would be her. She closed her eyes hoping that she wouldn't regret it especially when Serah had to be in bed soon. "Fine." Lightning moaned.

Serah cheered in response. Each of them ordered a piece of cake with a side of ice cream. Serah took a bite into the sugar filled goodness and gave a big grin toward her sister. "Thank you big sister!"

"You're welcome."

Hope smiled as he watched the two interact. Both of them just seemed as if they got along well. "Thank you for letting me tag along." Lightning and Serah looked over at him curiously. "The truth is I just moved here to New Bodhum so it was good running into some nice people and right on the first day here too."

Lightning placed her spoon down on her plate. The suspicion she had about him was confirmed. "I thought that I've never seen you around here before."

Serah lifted her head up to her older sister as an idea crossed her mind. "We can show you around. Right Lightning?"

Lightning wasn't so sure about that. It felt a little awkward to. Her eyes drifted away from them. "There's… not really that much to see."

Hope could see that she was a little uncomfortable with it but still, he didn't want to burden the two just meeting them. "It's fine. I really haven't settled in just yet."

Curious, Serah leaned forward, continuing on with their conversation. "So? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Hope shook his head. "No. I'm an only child."

Hearing so, Serah looked sympathetic. "You didn't have anyone that you could play with as a kid?"

He smiled a little. There was no need for her to be sad over it. "I had friends but not any siblings."

Serah continued to look concern. "Don't you ever wish that you did?"

Hope's eyes drifted over toward the window. It wasn't as if he hadn't thought about it before. "It might have been nice."

Lightning nudged Serah with her elbow, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. "Stop asking him so many questions."

Hope gave a nervous smile. "It's fine really."

After they finished eating, all three of them stepped outside of the diner. Lightning looked down toward Serah. "What do you say?"

Serah smiled. "Thank you for your help. I hope that you move in okay!"

Hope nodded. "Thank you. Again, it was nice to meet you Serah." Soon, Hope lifted his head up to Lightning standing beside her. His lips curved into a gentle smile as his emerald eyes were lit up by the moonlight. "It was nice to meet you too Ms. Farron." It felt strange hearing that come from him but at least it showed a sign of a gentleman. Still, he couldn't have been much older than she was.

Serah waved her hand as she smiled. "Bye Hope!" Hope looked behind him as he walked in the opposite direction and waved back.

Lightning turned around. "Come on Serah. It's getting late."

Serah turned and followed after her. "See. I told you that he was nice guy." Lightning couldn't argue with it for now but she still didn't know the man completely. Serah grabbed onto the straps of her bag. "Maybe we might run into him again. With his help, I could pass my science class no problem."

Lightning frowned. "Serah. You're not using him to get all of your answers. You need to actually learn something."

Serah sighed and moaned. Her eyes gazed up toward the night sky. "It still would have been nice though."

* * *

_So that's pretty much it for the first chapter. The main changes is just adding some old characters from the last game and making Serah and Vanille into younger kids. _

_I hope that you liked the story and I will continue updating. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!_


	2. Breaking The Ice

_**Author's Note:**__Hi everyone! I wanted to say thank you for all the reviews that people have wrote in and adding this to your favorites and alerts. I really appreciate the comments that I got. They were very encouraging. I just hope that you will continue liking and following along with the story. There's a lot more to come.  
_

* * *

_Chapter 2: Breaking The Ice:_

As afternoon was upon them, the two sisters were walking along the beach, heading for home. Lightning was holding onto Serah's bag as her hand rummaged around through it. "Are you sure that everything is in here?"

"Yes." Serah groaned as she slouched over. Her eyes closed, tired after the hundredth time of her sister asking her the same thing. "I already checked it."

Lightning began to get impatient. "Come and make sure. I don't want to have to go back and checked the sand again after you dropped all your stuff out." All of a sudden, a grin came on Serah's face as she got excited at what she saw ahead. With a giggle, she ran forward. Lightning glanced up to see her running away but she wasn't sure why. "Serah! Slow down! Come back here!" After a few seconds, she sighed once she realized her sister wasn't coming back and kept searching through her bag, making sure that she had everything. Her pace began to speed up so that she could catch up with Serah and find out where she ran off to this time. "That's there. Now where's-."

Then, she felt herself bump into something hard, causing her footing to become off balanced. Now wasn't the time to fall into the sand. It was a struggle to stay upright but suddenly she felt something wrap around her and pull her close to the hard thing she bumped into. Quickly, her head lifted up to see a smile. "Are you okay?"

Lightning blinked. She wasn't sure what she could say at that moment nor did any words come to mind. The way they were situated, it seemed as if they just finished some sort of Latin dance. Her body was leaning back as the familiar face that caught her was leaning forward. His hands were holding her up by the middle of her back. Once the silver haired man realized how awkward it was standing so close, he let go of her. Both of them stood up straight. Hope relaxed and gave a tender smile toward her. He didn't think that he would run into her especially like this. "Looks like we meet again Ms. Farron."

Serah looked up toward her older sister. "Look who I found Lightning." Then, her eyes turned over to Hope. Once she caught sight of him again, a question popped up into her mind. "Hey! Are you busy?"

"Not…at the moment." Hope wondered why she wanted to know. Since meeting them the first time, it had been a few days since he saw them last.

"Good!" she immediately replied. Serah took her bag from Lightning and pulled out a piece of paper from inside. "Thanks to you, I got an A on my homework and extra credit too."

"That's good." Hope was happy for her. Shortly after, her expression turned into concern. "I need your help again. I have another assignment due soon. You think you can help?"

A frown appeared over Lightning's lips as she crossed her arms. She was pretty sure she discussed things with her sister about that. "Serah. What did I say about doing the work on your own?"

Serah gazed up at her with pleading eyes. "But sis…"

"No buts." Lightning refused to back down.

"Come on! You know my teacher is really hard!"

Listening to the two dispute, Hope thought of a compromise. "How about this? If I help, then I won't tell her the answers right away."

Serah held out her hand toward Hope as a way of agreeing with him while she kept her eyes on Lightning. At least it was something that she could work with. "See..." It showed clearly on Lightning that she wasn't sure about the idea so Serah pushed it more. "It's either this or you have to help me and I know you want me to pass…"

Why did Searh have to say the last thing? Thinking about it, she sighed as she closed her eyes and came to a decision. Lightning looked over at Hope. "You busy right now?"

"Not really. I was just looking around the island, getting used to it."

After that, Lightning decided to get down to business. "What's your price?"

Hope shook his head. He wouldn't charge them for something he volunteered to do. "No price."

Serah held up her hand to interject. "Free juice will be the price."

Hope shrugged as he smiled. "Can't argue with that." Afterwards, he turned his head to Lightning to see if she thought it was okay. His eyes began to read the expression on her face. It remained the same as if she still wanted to talk business. He countered with a look of his own, showing that he really meant what he said. "I'm serious. No charge."

Lightning chose not to question it anymore. "Can't change your mind later." she warned him before she started walking off. "Serah. Check your bag to make sure you have everything like I told you. You. Come with us." Serah and Hope followed and soon made it to the sisters' house. Lightning was still uneasy about inviting him over since she didn't know him but she would just have to keep an eye and ear on them.

Hope and Serah sat on the stairs outside of the front door. Lightning was nearby on the stairs as well, listening as Hope was instructing Serah and using her science book for reference. She changed out of her military uniform into a white tank top and pink shorts that she usually wore around the house. As they were talking, Lightning pulled out her gunblade and began polishing it. It was something to do while they were outside. After a few minutes, Serah lifted her head with a smile. "I'm going to get something to drink. You want anything?"

Hope nodded. "Sure."

Quickly, Serah turned her head to Lightning. "What about you sis?"

"Sure." Lightning nodded as well. Serah got up and ran inside. After watching her go in, Lightning turned her attention back to her gunblade. Hope looked over to see what she was doing. With his hand pressed against the concrete, he leaned forward toward her as he gazed at the weapon resting in her lap. "Is that a Blazefire Saber?"

Straight away, her eyes opened a little more, surprised. "That's right. How do you know that?"

Casually, Hope shrugged. "Just studied on gunblades a little."

"They're only army issued." As she sat there, she had to wonder how he knew about them. It was strange how he knew the specific name of her weapon. Mainly, it was military information. A small smile came across his lips. "They're very powerful and effective."

Lightning's eyes drifted toward the ground as she was thinking. "They say the most powerful one is the-." Together, they both answered at the same time. "Omega Weapon." Instantly, her eyes lifted to him. For a few seconds, she stared at him in silence. How could he know that? He told her that he was some sort of scientist so she assumed that he wouldn't know military technology. Little did she know the real reason of how he knew about them.

Hope held out his hand. "You mind if I see?" Lightning decided to listen to his request and handed over her sword to him. He placed it on his lap and took some time to observe the weapon before he spoke. "Seems like there's something loosed here." The soldier moved in closer to see what he was pointing at. "Something like this could throw off your aim or possibly loosen the sword enough that something could come out. If you want, I could fix it for you."

"That's all right. I could try to fix it." She felt that there was no need for him to help more than he already had. Hope smiled. "Actually, this would give me a chance to get more hands on with these. I really wouldn't mind."

Lightning thought about it but then answered. "Fine but if you break it, I'm coming after you." An unhappy frown came across her face to show him that she was serious. Hope nodded. "Heard and understood."

Talking with him, Lightning began to feel more at ease with the man beside her. So far, she was impressed with the very few things that she found out about him. More, she became interested to exactly how much he knew. "So? How do you know about these things?"

Hope looked down toward the ground, thinking of the right answer to say. He had to be careful of what he told her. Then, he looked over at her and smiled. "Research." It was all he left her with.

Again, her curiosity continued to grow. "Do you know how to assemble your own?"

"Yeah." he answered her question.

Her eyebrow arched. "And I bet you know where they make them too?"

"If I told you, I might have to kill you." Hope replied jokingly. In return, Lightning's lips curved up into a slight smile. The first and closest thing to a full smile he saw from the soldier. "I don't think you want to go up against me in a kill first contest."

Hope handed her gunblade back and looked back up at her with a gentle smile. "I already don't doubt that for a second." Lightning wanted to smile but kept it inside. He didn't try to argue back or underestimate her because she was a woman. "You know what weapon that's made that I want to try?" She didn't want to seem too eager but for some reason, she didn't want their conversation to stop.

Hope leaned forward with his arms pressing on top of his legs, interested. "What's that?"

Inside of the kitchen, Serah grabbed the three glasses of juice that she poured for the three of them. She juggled to carry them in her arms but then her eyes glanced over toward the floor. Right then, they widened as she looked scared.

Outside of the door, Hope laughed a little after the answer she gave him. "You know. I actually wanted to try that too." The curve of her lips increased, smiling more than she did last time. "Seriously?"

"Really serious." From inside, they heard a loud scream. Right away, their expressions turned to concern. Lightning stood up and ran inside quickly. "Serah!" Hope followed in behind her. Once they got inside, they saw the juice she spilled on the kitchen floor and Serah with a scared expression. Lightning stood from where she was and looked in the same direction as her. On the wall, she saw a bug crawling against it.

After she calmed down, Lightning looked over toward Serah a little upset that she scared her over nothing. "That's what you were screaming about? I thought that something happened to you. Just squish it." Then, her eyes traveled along the ground searching until she found a shoe nearby. Slowly, she approached it so that it wouldn't run off. When she was about to kill it, she saw Hope step in with a piece of paper and got the bug onto the paper. "Don't worry. It's harmless." With his eyes focused on it, he took it outside onto the beach and dropped it out there. Once he went back inside, he saw Lightning and Serah in the kitchen cleaning up the mess of juice that was on the floor. Serah glanced over, noticing that he was back. She still seemed somewhat concerned. "Did you get rid of it?!"

Hope gave a comforting smile. "Yes. It's gone."

After she finished cleaning, Lightning stood up and looked over at Hope. "You could have just let me kill it."

Hope placed his fingers to his chin as he gave a faint smirk. "I could have but think about it like this: less mess to clean up especially on the wall and-."

Lightning crossed her arms. "Fine. I get it science boy." He didn't need to make a long list about it. She looked over toward Serah who was going back into the fridge. "Sure you don't want any help?" Serah placed the juice on the table with some new cups. "I got it. It was just because I saw that bug that I dropped it. Thanks Hope."

Hope smiled. "No problem." He headed outside and Lightning followed behind him. Both of them sat outside on the steps again. Hope seemed a little concerned as a question came into mind. "Ms. Farron…? Is it just you and Serah here?"

"You don't have to call me that you know but…" At first, Lightning debated about telling him, but she didn't feel the need to lie about it and it wasn't as if she could cover it up regardless. "Yeah. It's just Serah and me."

His eyes drifted over to her. "Your parents? Are they-?"

Lightning looked out toward the beach. Her knees were pressed up against her chest as her arms were somewhat hugged around her legs. "Our parents died a long time ago. It's just the two of us."

A sad look came to Hope's face. He was afraid that would be the answer. "I'm sorry to hear that. It seems that… you're doing a good job of taking care of Serah on your own. She seems happy. She really relies on you." Lightning read his emerald eyes. It looked as if he really meant it and wasn't just saying that unless she read it wrong. "Thanks. Sometimes it's hard but I would never want us to be separated."

"I hope not either. You two are lucky to have each other." Lightning continued to stare at him. It was really nice of him to say even if he didn't know them. The two stared at each other in silence, waiting for the other to look away, but it didn't happen. When it felt too long, Lightning decided to change the subject. "So what brings you to live here?"

At that moment, he felt as if he could be more open with her as she had been with him. "I guess I was looking for a place where-." Before Hope could finish, Serah stepped outside to where they were and handed them each a glass. "All right sis! Time's up! I need Hope to help me back on my homework."

"Fine." Lightning answered. Maybe it was enough of getting to know each other for now. Serah sat in the middle of them, making Hope and Lightning slide further part in opposite directions. "Hey sis! I found another bug again."

Lightning sighed and looked out toward her front yard. "I guess since it's getting close to summer, they're starting to come in now."

An idea crossed his mind as Hope glanced over at the side of the house. "If you want, I can put something down that should keep the bugs out of the house for a while."

Serah looked surprised and smiled. "Really?!"

"Ms. Farron?" Hope asked curiously so he would know whether or not she would accept his offer. Lightning gave a little shrug. "That's less work I have to deal with but you're already doing enough."

His lips curved into a smile. "It's all right. I could use the distraction instead of sitting around all day."

If he wanted to do it for free, she couldn't really argue with that. "I guess."

"If there is anything else you need help with, let me know."

Serah couldn't believe how much he was offering to help. "You're really nice."

Hope's grinned as he looked down at her. "I hope so."

Soon, Lightning stood up and headed back inside. "I'll leave you back to your homework."

Serah looked back, surprised that she was leaving. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go start on dinner."

Once she heard that, a suggestion went through Serah's mind. "How about that? For Hope helping, let him join us for dinner!"

Lightning leaned in the doorway. She guessed that could be one way to thank him. "What do you say? You want to stay?"

Hope looked back at her. "If you'll allow me." In response, Serah cheered. Lightning went inside and started preparing for dinner. Her eyes traveled over between what she was doing and looking at them from outside. For now, it couldn't hurt for some things to be taken care of around the house. As she got to know him, she began to trust him a little more. So far, he seemed really nice. Hours later, the three of them sat down eating at the kitchen table. Serah looked over at Hope as her legs swung back and forth from her chair. "So Hope? Any chance you're good at math too?"

Hope smiled nervously. "I guess with science there is some math involved."

Lightning sighed as she crossed her arms. It was easy for both of them to see where she was going with this. "Are you really going to get him to do your math homework too?"

Serah smiled sweetly hoping that her big sister wouldn't say no. "Not doing it but only "helping" with it." Lightning shook her head slightly. Serah turned her attention back to Hope. "Hey Hope! Any chance you can help me plant something as well? If I can bring something before school is over, I get an extra grade added to my score."

Lightning pressed her hand to her face. What has her little sister turned into? "You just met him and already you're using him to get through school."

Hope grinned silently. "It's really all right Ms. Farron. You said as long as Serah learns. I'll only be helping. Not unless you know someone else who can."

Serah crossed her arms as she leaned back in her chair. "Nope. That would mean I would have to find someone else to tutor me."

Lightning's eyes looked over at her. "You could try your school."

"But that means sometimes you'll have to pick me up later."

Hope looked curious. "There's no one else that you can ask?"

"Lightning mainly works so there isn't really time to hang out with anyone else…" Serah glanced over at Lightning as she smirked. "…especially with boys." she teased.

"Really?" Hope sounded interested like hearing gossip interested but not jump at the chance interested. It would seem somewhat awkward since they just met. He leaned his chin on the back his hand. Serah grinned. "Yup! She's available right now."

Lightning frowned, upset that she brought up the subject. "Stop that Serah. That's not something that you talk about."

Serah looked down toward the table. "Sorry." she whispered. Afterwards, things turned quiet. Lightning glanced over at Serah, still seeing the sad look on her face. Her eyes turned over to Hope who was looking at her. Soon, she moved her eyes away and looked toward her food. "So? Are you getting settled in okay?" she spoke to break the awkward silence.

"Yeah. It's fine. Though, I don't feel that the place is really worth it."

Lightning looked curious along with Serah. "What do you mean?"

Hope seemed a little concerned. "With how much rent is, it's starting to dry up my money quick."

"Can you move?" Lightning asked him.

"It was the only thing available when I came but when I looked before, I thought there was more."

Lightning closed her eyes as she continued eating. "That's how New Bodhum is. It's small so it's hard to find a place."

"Well. I'll get use to it." Hope's eyes traveled over toward the side. He wasn't ready to go back to where he was before he moved. Serah looked between the two of them. When she thought of a solution, she was nervous about suggesting it out loud but it couldn't hurt to. "Well… we have an extra bedroom." she murmured. Right then, Lightning's expression turned to stunned that she would propose something like that. She almost dropped the fork out of her hand. The thought of someone they just met living there and more than that a guy, was insane.

Hope smiled nervously. "I couldn't impose. I'm fine where I am and I'll just wait until I find something."

"Good luck finding something to open up in New Bodhum." It was the hard truth but Lightning had to be honest.

Hope looked over curious. "Have you lived here your whole lives?"

Lightning and Serah glanced at each other before Lightning looked at Hope. "Pretty much."

After dinner was over, Hope stepped outside into the night that had already been casted outside. Lightning stepped in the doorway and leaned against it with her arms crossed. "Sure you'll be all right going back by yourself?" Hope looked back and smiled at her. "Yeah. Thanks for dinner. It's been a long time since I had a home cooked meal."

"Seeing as you didn't die and you ate everything off your plate, I'm assuming you like it?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to ask, did you want me to stop by tomorrow to help?" Lightning remembered what he asked earlier. Before she could answer, they heard a voice from inside of the house. "Yes!"

A smile came across Hope's face. He could already tell whose voice it was. Lightning looked back to see Serah standing in her pajamas. "Are you done brushing your teeth?"

"Yes." Serah groaned.

Lightning pointed inside. "Then go to bed."

Serah went over and poked her head out of the doorway. "You told me you would help me plant something for my class."

"I remember. Good night Serah."

Serah smiled. "Good night."

"Now go inside." Serah looked up at her older sister before she went back inside. Lightning turned her attention back to him. "If you still want to help then yeah, you can come back around the same time."

"Right. Got it. Thank you for today. I'll see you tomorrow Ms. Farron." He was about to take off but then heard Lightning's voice. "Hold on." He turned around surprised to see her stepped down onto the last step. "You have to stop with all this former stuff. You're making me feel old or like some teacher. Just call me Lightning or better yet, just call me Light."

A gentle smile appeared on his lips. "All right…Light. Have a good night."

"Good night Hope." As she watched him disappear in the night, she stood in the doorway with one arm holding the other. She wondered why he was so nice and helpful toward them. Did he want something or was he doing it out of the kindness of his heart? Either way, she felt as if there was something different about him. After taking time to reflect on the day, she headed off into the house to check on Serah.

* * *

As the night continued to pass, Hope sat on his couch as he looked through some of his gadgets that were on his table. The only light that lit up his living room was the moonlight. The serious expression on his face grew tense. On one of his computers was a profile with his image and personal information. After a few seconds, he closed his eyes and sighed as he cut it off. His eyes drifted off to the side. _"Better not stay on this long. They could end up finding some way to track me. As long as I keep a low profile, then no one should be bothered to look here. Right now, they're probably searching the places they know that I would visit or been before." _

He placed his hand to his chin as he stared toward the table._ "How long is this going to last? It probably would have been better not to associate with a soldier especially one of a high ranking. Maybe news hasn't gotten out to them yet. For now, she doesn't know who I am or my last name. Just stick with that. Still… I could be risking it. All records with my pictures should have been deleted when I hacked into the system." _

Hope lifted his eyes up toward the window, gazing at the night sky. _"They can't know nor can I put anyone at risk."_

* * *

_Again thank you for reading and please let me know what you think. The goal is to keep updating weekly so for now I should still be able to. Until next week!  
_


	3. The Closer I Feel To You

_**Author Note: **Hey everyone! As always, I **really** thank you guys for your reviews and adding this story to your alerts and favorites. This is really keeping me motivated! I hope that you will enjoy the next chapter!  
_

_**P.S. **__To one of my reviewers, good luck on your exams!  
_

_**P.S.S** For anyone who is interested in the new Lightning Returns game, there's a trailer out already. It's called Lightning Returns: The Final Journey Trailer. Last time I checked, there was only one video on youtube.  
_

* * *

_Chapter 3: The Closer I Feel To You:_

Outside of the Farron household, Hope was putting down a green moss like substance along the side of their house to help solve their bug problem. Lightning was sitting on the steps beside Serah helping her with her homework, and just in case Hope needed anything from inside or out. Both of the sisters stared hard at one question. Lightning didn't want to give up on answering it, but at least she could try guessing on it. After thinking about it, she stood up. "Hold on." She headed over to where Hope was and bent down to his level so that he could see the paper in her hand. "All right genius. Let me get your answer on this one. I think I got it right."

Hope grinned as he listened to her jokingly call him a "genius" but then focused on the question. "Which one?"

On the page, Lightning pointed toward it. "That one. Here's what I think the answer is." Once she told him, Hope reread the question. After he figured it out, he smiled up at her. "Close but you were slightly off."

Lightning rolled her eyes a little. She thought for sure she had this one. "Oh come on. I know I was right this time. You got me at science but there's no way you got me at math."

A smirk crossed over his lips. "If you're so good, then why is Serah asking for my help?"

Lightning shrugged. "I don't know."

Serah grinned and shouted, "Because Lightning only thinks she's good at math!"

Lightning looked back at her. "I don't suck at it."

"I didn't say that! You were right on some things!" Serah replied.

Lightning sighed. How could two grown adults be arguing over elementary math? Either way, she knew she was right. "Regardless, I will get the calculator and prove it."

Hope pointed to the side of his head with his index finger. "I have a calculator right here and it says you're slightly off."

A frown came across her lips. "So what's the answer then?" Serah wanted to laugh watching the two clash but then stopped once she remembered something. She placed her books on the ground and ran back inside. The two would probably still be arguing until she got back. If she knew anything for sure, she knew that her sister wasn't one to back down from a fight. Lightning stared at him, upset. "I know I'm right."

"Maybe on some of these other questions but-." All of a sudden, Hope's expression changed into that of concern. He began removing the gloves from his hands. "Don't move."

A confused stare became written on her face as she stayed still. He looked as if something was about to happen to her. "What?"

Once he got his gloves off, he reached over to her slowly. "There's a bug crawling on your shoulder." She glanced over to see a big, dark bug crawling toward her face. "Whatever you do, don't-."

It was too late. She didn't think it was a big deal nor did he need to get it off of her. She tried to knock it away but missed and only caused it to scurry faster. She tried to get it before it could move toward the inside of her shirt.

"Stay still." Hope warned her. While she attempted to get the creature away, he managed to grab onto her hands so that she wouldn't shake as much. Lightning struggled somewhat against him and the bug. Her body ended up falling back onto the grass. Her arms became pinned to the ground by the strength of his hands. His body hovered over hers as he was on his knees. "Relax." he told her calmly. Her chest rose up and down a few times, breathing hard before she listened to what Hope said. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the bug crawling from her chest toward her shoulder. "Be careful with these things. They can bite and if they attack you enough, it could land you in the hospital." Carefully, Hope lifted it from her and tossed it away.

Lightning gazed up at Hope above her. "Are you okay?"

He smiled. "It's fine. It didn't get me. I should be asking you that." Softly, his fingers brushed the strands of her hair aside from her shoulder. Her skin felt smooth to the touch. From what he could see, she didn't seem as if she was hurt. Lightning kept her eyes locked to his. "I'm fine."

Hope placed his hands on the ground off of her wrists. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to knock you over."

It felt strange lying on the ground underneath him. She wasn't sure if it was good or bad but just…different. He stood up and held out his hands. "Come on. I'll help you up." She grabbed onto his hands and he pulled her up. She moved forward too far and ended up pressed against his chest. The bump from her body caused him to take a step back but kept his balance enough to support the both of them. Lightning lifted her head, letting their eyes meet again. Through her hands alone that were against his firm chest, she felt his heart beating faster. When she tuned in with her own body, she felt her heart beating just as fast. Nearby, he could hear the warm breath escaping from her body. His hands were holding onto hers. "Are you okay?"

Lightning nodded. "Yeah." What was this feeling that was going on inside her? Maybe it was a mix of two bodies being so close together or him helping her out just now. Either way, for that moment, she felt a certain kind of attraction toward him. Slowly, her hands caressed down the thin fabric of his white tank top. "Thank you." She held her head down, hoping that this feeling would pass so that she would return back to normal.

After a few seconds of silence, Hope walked passed her and headed back to what he was doing before. Lightning looked over behind her. A part of her wondered how he felt at that moment. When he was standing in front of her, she didn't get a good look at his reaction.

It was strange. She never really felt that way before. For now, she decided to brush what happened aside. She glanced down at the paper that fell on the ground that she and Hope were arguing about before. She was about to head over when she heard a voice. "Oh just get it over with! That was painful to watch."

Lightning looked back to see Fang with her hands on her hips and Vanille at her side grinning. The young girl waved her arm toward her. "Hi Lightning!" Lightning waved back a little before Vanille ran inside the house searching for Serah. Soon, Fang approached her with a look of interest. "And what was going on just now?"

Lightning turned away from her as she crossed her arms. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Fang stepped in front of her to see her face. "Really? You lie on the ground with him and then you're all up on each other? Yeah... Nothing's going on..."

Lightning frowned. She didn't need her making assumptions now. "It's not how it looks. He was just getting a bug off and he helped me up off the ground."

The raven haired woman arched her eyebrow as there was a smirk to her lips. "Right… And you didn't have that look in your eyes that said you wanted to rip that shirt right off him?"

Lightning closed her eyes as she shook her head. "You really need to get glasses."

"Maybe... Well missy. I see you're out of uniform. What's the occasion? Watching the garden boy work?" She placed her fingers to her chin and rubbed against it as she became curious. "When did you get a gardener anyway?"

Lightning gave a dull expression. "I didn't and I'm at home. Why would I still be in my uniform?"

Fang shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just always assumed that you slept in that thing."

Lightning rolled her eyes as she stepped away from Fang. Before she could get away, Fang spoke, getting interested again. "So? How is he?"

Lightning glanced over at Hope to see him still working. She placed her hand on her hip. "He's all right I guess." It had only been a short time since they got to know each other but they got along well.

A grin soon came on Fang's face. She slapped Lightning across the back, making her step forward. "You little soldier! I knew you weren't always so uptight! Just all right though? Hmm… Surprised you kept him around then."

A look of confusion came upon Lightning. "What are you talking about now?"

Fang winked at her. "You know what you naughty girl. I knew you had it in you."

More, she had no idea what she was talking about. "Are you going to make sense anytime soon?"

Fang nudged her with her elbow. "Working outside isn't the only thing he's been doing. He's been doing a little work inside hasn't he? You know. Making house calls? Planting something in that secret garden of yours?"

Lightning started to get impatient. "Stop talking like that."

Fang sighed, wondering how she could not get what she was trying to say. "You've been doing your gardener haven't you? That's probably why I never seen him. You're trying to hide him from me."

Lightning couldn't believe that she thought that. Her fists tightened at her sides. "All right. Let's get some things straight. One: he's not my gardener. He's just someone who's helping me out and he's been tutoring Serah with her classes. Two: I'm not doing anything with him, and three: I'm not doing anything with him so don't start making your smart comments now."

Fang placed her hands on her sides as she looked over at the man. She started to get intrigued. "So…? You haven't tested the waters yet? Well are you planning to because I have some work around the house he could do. Of course, he won't be leaving my house after."

Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. She really wasn't in the mood to hear her plans. "Fine. Do whatever you want."

Fang let out a grin as she arched her eyebrow. She didn't show any objection to it at all. "You sure? I guess I could tell you how it goes."

Lightning gave a look of disgust. "Please. Whatever you do, I don't want to know."

Fang placed her hand on Lightning's shoulder. "Come on! Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. There is a cute man around your house doing your work for you and you're not the least bit curious as to what fun you can have with him?"

Lightning crossed her arms as she seemed uninterested. "No."

Afterwards, the raven haired woman let out a sigh as she closed her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder about you…" Then, she headed over toward Hope which Lightning followed behind. Out of the corner of his eye, Hope noticed her approaching. "Hey!"

He stood up straight as he smiled at the stranger before him. "Hey."

Lightning held out her hand to Fang. Since they already spoke, she figured that she might as well introduce them. "Hope. This is Fang. She's just somebody I happen to know."

Fang placed her hand to her chest. Through her pretend look of hurt, she smiled a little on the outside. "Once again, you're ashamed of me."

Lightning shook her head before she opened her eyes. "Fang. This is Hope. He just moved here not too long ago."

A fascinated look came across Fang's face. "Oh! Just moved here? What brings you to this part of the world?"

"Just needed to find somewhere that was peaceful and quiet." he answered.

Lightning glanced over at Fang. "Then you might want to move again. With her around, things will never be quiet."

Fang wasn't going to argue with that. She pointed toward Lightning with her thumb. "Well hot head is right about one thing."

Hope grinned and let his eyes travel between both of them. "So how do you two know each other?"

Fang smiled as she looked over at her fellow soldier. "We got into a fight." she replied casually.

Hope looked amazed especially how she said that so calmly as if it was nothing. "Really?"

Fang rested her arm on top of Lightning's shoulder. "A while back, I got transferred here because of the military and then comes missy saying that she was in charge and that I had to obey her, but I told her that I was the higher ranking officer. The two of us fought it out with some weapons and afterwards, turns out she was right. Then sometime later, we ran into each other and got into it again. She thought I was trying to take her sister but I explained that she was a friend of Vanille's."

Hope couldn't believe it, mostly that they actually fought each other. "Wow! Sounds like you two had it rough."

Fang wrapped her arm around Lightning's shoulder, pulling her in toward her. "It took a while but she eventually warmed up to me and now we're good friends."

Lightning frowned. "Barely and take your arm off me."

Hope laughed a little at how the two interacted with each other. Fang looked over at him. "Since you're new to town, how about I take you to get a drink on me?"

An uneasy smile came across his face. "I'm not really a drinking man." Still, he thought that it was nice of her to ask.

Fang brushed the offer aside for now but she wouldn't let him get away with it. "Oh well. If you need someone else's house to stop by and you get tired of staying at hers, then come to mine. I'll give you something to do."

Nervousness coursed through him hearing her tempting tone. He felt awkward by the invitation. "Maybe some other time."

Lightning could see that Hope was uncomfortable with her other offer and was trying to be nice about it. That didn't mean that she had to be for what he really meant. She gave Fang an annoyed look. "Just leave him alone. He's not interested."

Fang arched her eyebrow as a smirk appeared. A part of her was curious. Was Lightning trying to help him out or did she have another motive on mind? "Trying to keep him here to yourself huh?" Lightning expression didn't change a bit. Fang just grinned and pinched her cheeks to the point that they were starting to hurt. "Isn't she just the cutest thing?"

Hope laughed at the face she got Lightning to make and the way it was stretched out. Without thinking, he replied to her question. "Yeah." Once he realized he said so, he was surprised and stopped. He wondered how Lightning would take the comment. Fang released Lightning who looked a little surprised as well. Fang was glad with what happened. At least she got something honest out of one of them. Lightning's eyes drifted away. Her expression looked somewhat innocent and nervous. Fang grinned and grabbed Lightning by the shoulders. She began pulling her away. "All right. Enough flirting. Now for the real reason I came over here." Hope wanted to say something but there wasn't much he could say about the flirting comment. He decided to continue working on what he was doing.

Fang pulled Lightning away at a far enough distance. Once they stopped, a frown came upon Lightning's face. "What was that all about?!" she whispered loudly.

Fang waved her hand down. "Oh relax! I got the man to admit that you were cute and I'm sure that you were thinking something along those lines anyway so be grateful. I saved you some time." Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. While she wasn't upset with the outcome of what he said, she still wished that Fang was more subtle about it. "Anyway. I got some big news and I don't know if it got to you yet."

Lightning opened her eyes, curious. "What?"

Fang kept her voice low, keeping the conversation just between them. "Turns out that group you were supposed to meet with in a few months are in a big panic. Their Director has gone missing."

Lightning became a little surprised as to what she heard. "Really?" She placed her fingers to her chin. "Then I wonder if this conference is going to happen. Is the Academy even going to show up now? Couldn't they just get someone else to present?"

Fang shrugged. "I don't have all the details. All I know is the Academy has been keeping this under wraps for some time now and they're just now letting the army know."

Lightning placed her hand on her hip. "I still don't see the big deal. So what if their Director isn't there? They could still go on without him."

Fang waved her finger as a sign that it wasn't that easy. "You would think so but I think they're hiding something. This is causing some big problems."

Lightning arched her eyebrow. "So what now? The army wants us to go find him?"

"Just be on the lookout. Apparently, they can't find this guy anywhere. They're still dishing out the details as we speak. You think they would just be able to put up a missing person's thing with his picture but…"

"But what?" Lightning asked confused.

"Don't have any pictures of the guy."

Lightning's eyes searched along the ground. "That's weird. He's the head of the Academy. You would think he would show up somewhere."

Fang moved her finger across her throat as a hint. "Worst case scenario someone off him already. That would really screw things up."

Lightning's eyes drifted off to the side. This sounded like a strange case. How could someone just disappear out of nowhere? "You would think if someone killed him, you would find a body."

"Right now, the army is getting a description of what the guy looks like."

A curious expression came to Lightning. "Do they have a name?"

Fang took a few seconds to think about it. "Hmm… Something…I don't know..."

Lightning gave a dull glare. "Really? There's a guy we're supposed to be on the lookout for and you can't remember his name?"

"Slipped my mind. Anyway, calm down. Have some fun or something." Fang glanced over at Hope and smirked. Lightning followed her eyes and sighed. There was no need to ask what she was implying. She still wasn't sure why she hung around the woman as much as she did. Fang waved as she began walking off. "I'll be taking off now. Later."

"Hmm…" Lightning watched with her arms crossed as she went out of sight. She thought about what she said concerning the case with the Academy and blocked off anything else she said today, which was mainly about Hope, from her mind. It was silly to even think about anything she suggested. She exhaled and turned as she closed her eyes. She was about to head back to her house when her expression suddenly changed to surprise. In the doorway, she saw Vanille standing with Serah. She wondered why Vanille was still there and didn't leave when Fang did. Since she wasn't getting any answers standing there, she went up to them. "Fang's already gone you know."

Vanille grinned as she placed her hands behind her back. "I know. She told me that I could stay here for a while."

Lightning placed her hand to her face as she closed her eyes. Sometimes, she just wanted to put her hands around the woman's neck. "I see... Again, she leaves you here without even asking me about it."

Vanille tilted her head as she became concerned. Lightning didn't seem happy. "Fang said that you would be okay with it."

Lightning frowned. "Fang doesn't live here. She needs to learn how to ask for stuff first before doing them."

Vanille looked over to where Hope was on the side of the house. "Serah? Is that the guy you were telling me about?"

Serah nodded. "Yup! He's the one who got me the A on my paper."

Vanille giggled as she placed her hands to her lips. "Fang's right. He is cute."

Lightning shook her head with her eyes closed. "And Fang is a bad influence on you and Serah."

Vanille's eyes traveled over to Lightning curiously. "Don't you think so?"

Lightning crossed her arms as she kept her serious look. "I'm not answering that."

Serah's lips curved up into a grin. "In other words yes."

Lightning began to get more bothered as she looked at the two girls. "Don't you have something else to do other than annoy me?"

Serah looked over at Vanille. "Sis is right. I still got to finish my homework. Come on Vanille. I'll introduce you to Hope." The two girls took off running. From far off, Lightning watched as they interacted with him. Hope smiled as he was listening to Vanille talking cheerfully as usual. She observed carefully to see what would happen, knowing that she was under the influence of Fang. Suddenly, she saw Hope's expression changed into that of stunned but seconds later changed into that of nervousness. At that moment, Lightning figured that Vanille must've asked something similar to what Fang would say to him. She just hoped that it wasn't anything too bad.

* * *

Sometime later, the sun began to set. While the girls were inside working on their schoolwork in the living room, Lightning stepped outside to see Hope stand up from the ground. With his arm, he wiped the sweat away from his forehead. She figured that he must've finished and headed over toward him. "Done for today?"

Hope noticed her come toward him and smiled. "For today. It took me a lot longer than I thought."

She stopped in front of him. "Since you didn't get a chance to finish helping Serah with her homework, I was wondering if you wanted to stay over for dinner again."

"Sure." Afterwards, Hope thought back to earlier. "Your friend, she sure was interesting."

Lightning placed her hand on her hip as she frowned. "Yeah. It's best to ignore her."

Hope looked over toward the door. "Is that little girl her sister?"

She followed the direction of his eyes. "They're not blood sisters but they sure act like it. Fang's been watching after her for a long time. She didn't have any parents around so Fang's been taking care of her ever since she was little."

A gentle smile crossed over his lips. "That's good to hear. People in this world actually looking out for each other. Anyway, I'll head home first and then I'll be back in about an hour."

Lightning noticed the drips of sweat that was rolling across his skin. With the wind blowing, he could easily get cold. "You have to walk across the beach like this? If you want, I guess you could take a shower here."

"It's okay. Besides, I don't have a change of clothes. I'll be back." Hope looked down at his shirt seeing the grass strains. "This is going to be fun to get out." he muttered.

"Let me see it. I'm used to getting stains like this out of my uniforms."

Hope smiled nervously but then pulled his shirt over his head. Usually, he didn't take his shirt off in front of anyone but he figured it was better than her having to awkwardly stand so close to him. He placed it in her hand. "Is that all right?"

Lightning didn't mean for him to take his shirt off but at least she could see it up close without being so close to him. As much as she wanted to look at the stain, for some reason she found her eyes traveling over to his chest. Here she thought that scientists were constantly inside working with no time to exercise or shape their bodies, but today she was proven wrong. His body was definitely more defined with a well-built, tight pectoral and abdomen structure. His muscles were very distinguishable on his arms without being overly muscular. With a little extra work, he could bring out his abs more. "Do you think I could get it out?"

Lightning's eyes lifted up to his. She blinked unsure of what he said before. "What?"

"I asked if you think that I could get it out."

"Don't worry about it. Just leave it up to me." She extended her arm out and pushed the bundled up shirt against his stomach, making a light grunt leave from out of him. She used his shirt as a barrier so her hand wouldn't touch his skin. "Here. Just bring it back when you come." When he looked up, he saw that her head was turned away from him. There was an upset expression on her face as her eyes refused to look at him. The more they stood there, the harder it would have been to hide her embarrassment for staring at him the way she did just now. Hope didn't understand why but instead of questioning it, he nodded and placed it back on.

As he walked away, Lightning looked over at him. Her eyes traveled over his body from behind. He really wasn't so bad to look at. Finally, she snapped out her trance and shook her head. What came over her just now? There was no time to stare at him like some kind of lovesick, hormonal schoolgirl. Afterwards, she headed back inside her house.

Later that night, Lightning was sitting on one side of the table across from Hope who was helping Serah and Vanille. He smiled as he looked at Vanille's paper. "Good! That's right."

Vanille grinned as she clapped. "Yay!"

Then, an idea crossed over Serah's mind. "Hey! Since we're almost done, let's go watch TV. You want to stay and watch with us Hope?"

Hope gave a small, uneasy smile. "Probably not. It is getting late."

"At least stay for a few more minutes." Vanille pleaded with him a little.

He wasn't sure but then another idea came to his mind that maybe wouldn't take as long to stay. "Oh! I know. Let's play a game."

"Yeah!" the girls agreed together. Soon, they ran off from the table and disappeared into the hall. Lightning wasn't sure what it was about Hope that made him get along with the girls so well. Maybe it was how easy going he was or how he could get them to laugh but either way, it was nice to see that the others were happy. The girls ran back in with a boxed board game to Hope. Lightning turned curious as she remembered something. "Hey Vanille? When is Fang coming back to get you?"

Vanille smiled at her. "She said that I could stay at your house tonight and go to school in the morning."

Lightning sighed with her eyes closed and pressed her forehead down on the back of her hand. "Seriously, why does she never ask sometimes?"

The girls and Hope sat on the floor in the living room and set up the game. "All right. Just a quick one." He looked over toward Lightning who was standing in the kitchen. "Light? Do you want to play with us?"

Lightning began putting dishes away in the sink. "It's okay. Just play without me."

"You sure?" He didn't want her to feel left out.

Lightning looked back at them. "Yeah." Hope felt bad that she wasn't included but continued playing along with Serah and Vanille.

* * *

The next afternoon as the sun was high in the sky, Hope stepped inside, sweating from working outside. Lightning looked over and noticed that he came in. "You're already done?"

He smiled. "Your house should stay insect free for a while. Hopefully…"

Lightning went into the fridge and grabbed something. "Catch." She tossed a bottle of water his way. Hope caught it with both his hands. "Thanks. I couldn't help but notice something about your roof. It probably would be better if you check on it before you have some possible leakage."

She leaned back against the counter. "You can check on it if you want."

He looked over toward the side, remembering what else he had to do today. "I guess I better stop by somewhere to pick up those seeds so we can plant them soon."

Lightning crossed her arms. "Serah's still at school right now so it's going to be a while. If you want, you can get ready here."

Hope pulled up a bag from off the couch and smiled. "This time I brought extra clothes. Are you sure that it's okay?"

"Yeah." Lightning walked into the hallway and went into the bedroom that was at the direct end of it. She pointed toward the closed bathroom door that was inside the room. "You can use that one."

Hope headed over but then looked back at her. "Thanks again for getting that stain out."

"It's fine." Afterwards, she left from the room while Hope took a shower. A short time later, Lightning was in the kitchen when she thought she heard something. Curious, she stopped what she was doing and listened quietly. Soon, she heard it again. It sounded as if Hope was calling out for her. She went into the bedroom that he was in and headed toward the bathroom. "Hope-?" Before she could ask him if he wanted something, the door flew open and he stepped out holding just a towel around his waist. Once he lifted his head, he saw her standing in front of him. Quickly, his eyes blinked in surprised. "Whoa! Sorry. I didn't know you were there."

As he was coming out, Lightning held up her hands as a way to stop him from running into her. It worked but her hands were pressed on top of his chest. For a few seconds, she found herself frozen against him. She could smell the strong, fresh scent coming from off his body. It just made her body want to soften and relax. Realizing what she was doing, she backed away as she held one of her hands toward her chest. "Sorry. I thought I heard you calling for me."

"I was but I didn't think you could hear me. I was wondering if you had a towel but I found this one. I hope that it's okay."

Lightning's eyes drifted to the side. "It's fine. I should…let you get dressed." Before he could say anything, she stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. As she walked through the hall, she wondered why she reacted the way she did. The moment her hands wanted to rub against him even for a second. His skin felt really smooth to the touch. She could still remember it clearly. Was she starting to feel some sort of attraction to him? No. That couldn't have been it.

"Lightning! I'm home!" Serah opened the front door. When she looked over, she saw Lightning staring toward the ground. There was no response from her at all. She looked confused and walked over. She leaned over, looking at her face. "Lightning?"

Lightning snapped out of her thoughts and looked over at Serah. She looked surprised. She didn't realize that she came in already. "Serah?"

Serah wanted to ask what was going on but then heard another voice. "Hey!" Hope stepped over toward them, dressed. "Ready to go?"

Serah nodded. "Sure!" After dropping her stuff off in the living room, Serah headed over toward the door. Hope looked over at Lightning who was still leaning against the wall. "You ready?" Any word she wanted to say got caught within her throat once his eyes stared into hers and he flashed his smile. Instead, she nodded and walked off with him. They traveled inside of town to one of the local stores and stopped in one of the aisles where there were bags of seeds for different plants and vegetables. Hope smiled as he looked down at Serah. "So which one do you want to get?"

"Let's get that one!" She pointed up toward the one that had a picture of tomatoes.

Hope nodded. "All right." He handed it over to her and she took off running toward the register.

Lightning's eyes traveled to Hope. "You seem excited about this."

He looked off toward the side as he gave a faint smile. "This was… kind of an experiment that I wanted to do. Just didn't get the chance to. It was so we can bring back natural grown food." As he spoke, she saw the same look of regret he gave her when they talked in the restaurant the first day they met. "You mean when you were a scientist?"

"Yeah." he replied softly.

"You know. Even if you don't work as one anymore, you still are one." she spoke to him compassionately.

More, his smile grew hearing her say that. "I guess that's true. You want to help us plant these?"

"Sure."

Serah came back into the aisle and spotted them standing around. "Come on guys! I can't pay for this myself!"

Hope looked back at Lightning and smiled. "We better go."

Later that afternoon, the three of them were sitting out in the yard. Hope covered the seeds with dirt and patted the ground down. "All right. All you need to do is water it every day and we'll let the sun do the rest."

Serah gave a nod. "Okay."

"We'll keep an eye on how it's going." he said.

Lightning looked curiously at him. "How long do you think this will take?"

"A few weeks or more." Hope gave her a sincere gaze. "It takes time for things to grow." The two continued staring at each other. Had their conversation gone beyond just talking about what was growing in the ground into something else growing that they were unaware of? Either way like the plant, they would just have to wait and see.

Without taking her eyes off of him, Lightning nodded. "Right."

* * *

_This was a long chapter but I hoped that you have enjoyed it and thanks for reading. As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back next week around the same time to post the next chapter. See you then!_


	4. The Offer

_**Author's Note:** Hey! If you're celebrating the holidays, I hope that you are having a good one! I wanted to thank everyone who has been keeping up with the story, sending in reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts. I'm glad to hear the feedback. I hope that you will enjoy the next chapter!  
_

* * *

_Chapter 4: The Offer:_

Inside a secret military room in New Bodhum, high ranking soldiers were sitting in a discussion about a problem that had come up. In her chair at the table, Lightning had her arms and legs crossed as Fang was seated beside her. Both of them listened in on one of the soldiers informing them about the new mission they have. After their briefing was over, the two of them headed outside. Fang placed her hand on her side. "So? I guess it is official. We are now on the lookout for this mysterious Director and the Academy will send us more information soon."

Lightning stopped as she looked toward the ground. "It doesn't make any sense how you could just lose someone like that."

"Don't worry about it. Just be on the lookout. Anyway, what are you going to do on your days off now? Maybe have fun with a certain new guy?" Fang leaned forward toward her, interested. The pink haired soldier closed her eyes as she sighed and walked away. She wondered why Fang still had to be on that subject. A smirk came across Fang's lips as she watched her walk off into the distance. "Oh come on! It was just an idea!"

* * *

During the afternoon, Lightning stepped outside of her door onto the steps. Her arms stretched up into the air, relaxing on her day off. Once she looked around, a confused expression appeared upon her face. For some reason, there were women walking nearby her yard without crossing over into it. Some were standing around gazing from far off. When she followed the direction of their eyes, she saw a ladder on the side of the house. Her eyes traveled upward to see Hope on top of the roof working alone. Her confusion was soon replaced by a dull look as she let out a sigh. Seriously there couldn't have been women standing close to her yard just because of one guy. Pushing that thought aside, she wondered if there was something she could do to help. For a few seconds, she thought about it before she decided what she wanted to do.

Hope continued working until he heard something nearby. When he looked over, he saw Lightning crawling on the roof next to him. He was surprised, not expecting her to come up there with him. "Hey."

Lightning sat on the edge. "You need any help?"

"If you want." He took some time to explain what he was doing and how she could help. Afterwards, Lightning started crawling further upwards than he was which he began to get concerned. "Be careful! It's easy to slip on a surface like this."

She glanced back at him. "I got it. I'll be fine." Afterwards, she continued going up. Hope wanted to stop her still worried about her safety but he kept his words to himself. Soon, he realized that his eyes were staring toward her hips. It took some time to tear his eyes away but finally he turned them to the side nervously, thinking that it wasn't right to stare too long. Lightning looked around on the roof until she caught sight of something he told her to watch out for. She pointed to the spot. "Hey! I think I found a weak point." She was about to move over to it when suddenly she felt her foot slip. Unable to stop herself, her body began to slide down. Her fingers tried to grab onto something but there wasn't really anything she could grab on to.

A worried look came across Hope's face. "Light!"

Lightning turned her body over to where she was sliding on her back. At least that way she could try to land on her feet when she hit the ground. Before she could fall off the edge, she felt herself stop. During her slid, her body became aligned with his. Quickly, he reacted. With one hand, he grabbed onto the edge of the roof so that the force of her couldn't knock him over the edge and he could catch her. Fortunately for both of them, Hope managed to hold on to the edge and kept both of them on the roof. One of his hands pressed against the middle of her back as the other grabbed the back of her leg. Her arms were wrapped around his neck as they rested on top of his shoulders. Hope sighed with relief. "Are you okay?"

Lightning was surprised by his catch but more with how she was sitting with him and how close they were to each other. Her legs had him caught in between them near his waist. "Yeah." She got over her hidden nervousness somewhat and thought of some way to help ease the tension. A frown came upon her lips. "Don't even think about saying I told you so."

A smile appeared on him. "Really? Not even a little?"

"No." she replied as she looked serious.

Hope moaned playfully in disappointment as he held his head down. "Fine..."

The playfulness even got Lightning to smile a little. "I doubt that you still want me up here."

The silver haired man lifted his head to her. "You can still help. I just won't be able to catch you every time."

Afterwards, things grew silence but their smiles remained in longer. As they stared toward each other, they tried to read what the other was thinking but more than that, what should they do about the situation they were in. Should they break away or stay as they are? As time continued to pass, they weren't sure how long they been the way they were. Still, they felt that someone had to make the first move to do something. Getting captivated in her eyes, slowly but cautiously he began to lean over toward her. She didn't move nor stop him. Thoughts came into her mind that they shouldn't and that she should move right then, but her body wouldn't response. Instead, it stayed still as it was. Once she felt they were inches apart, her eyes lowered. Her blue eyes couldn't break away from his emerald ones. Her lips parted a little along with his as she felt his warm breath on her lips. As she felt the moment upon her, she let her eyes closed and waited for it to overtake her.

"I didn't know that was the new thing now!" Interrupted, they immediately looked over to see Fang from down below watching them. "I don't know if I would do anything like that on a roof in the middle of the day but whatever you're both into!"

Lightning shook her head as she closed her eyes wondering why Fang stopped by this time. Hope smiled as he turned his eyes over to Lightning. "Hold on. I can get you down from here." She wanted to object and tell him that she was perfectly capable of getting down herself, but the words were never spoken out loud. Instead, she nodded. "Okay."

"Hang on to me tight." Her arms held onto his shoulders and neck as he placed one arm underneath her legs to hold her against him and the other to climb down the ladder. The moment they almost shared between them, they let slip away and pretended as if nothing was going to happen. Once they were close to the ground, Lightning jumped down and landed feet first. Right away she headed over to Fang and pushed her away by her shoulders before she could start making smart comments and jokes. Fang grinned silently. "What?" She turned around to her.

Lightning crossed her arms as she looked upset. "Don't start."

Fang shrugged and placed her hands on her hips. "Don't start what? I think it was better that I stopped you two from committing public indecency."

"Nothing was happening."

"Whatever you say. You know. I think I'm starting to understand why you have been using him."

Lightning didn't follow where she was getting at. She didn't think she was using Hope. "What do you mean?"

Fang looked over and smiled. There was only one conclusion she could come up with. "I think you might actually like him."

Lightning couldn't believe that was her one answer. Her eyes turned away from her. "That's stupid."

"Is it really?" Lightning sighed and looked over at Hope who was sitting back on top of her roof. She placed her hand on her hip as she began thinking. As she watched him, the same thought that she had been carrying around in her mind came back. Fang noticed her lost in thought. "All right! What's rattling around in that brain of yours?"

"Nothing." Lightning figured that she could solve it on her own.

Fang looked intrigued. "Really? You just staring at him or you just won't tell me what you're thinking."

"Even if I told you, why would I listen to what you have to say?"

Fang leaned forward so that she could see Lightning's face. "You do know when you actually listen to me, I'm right." Lightning pressed her lips together not ready to comment on that. Her eyes turned away. For days, she was unsure about what to do. "Come on. If you're not going to tell me then who else are you going to tell?"

Lightning frowned. "No one."

Fang sighed as she closed her eyes. She placed her hand over her face. "You really hold too much back-."

"It's about Hope."

Fang looked surprised. Finally, Lightning changed her mind and decided to let her know. Now they were getting somewhere. "What about him?"

On the inside, Lightning was a little concerned about the situation. "He thinks that he might have to move soon but he's not exactly sure where he can go."

"I know you're going to miss all that free housework." Lightning turned silence which Fang noticed again. "What else were you going to say?"

Lightning's eyes drifted off to the side. "Well…Serah came up with an idea that I wasn't thrill about at first but…"

"What's that?" Fang asked curiously.

Lightning looked over at her. "Well…I don't know if I should maybe… rent a room out or something."

Fang crossed her arms as she looked at Hope. "Hmm… let's see. Extra money. Free house maintenance. You like him. It almost seems like you're taking advantage of him. You trust the guy?"

At first, Lightning glanced toward the ground but then at Fang. "He hasn't done anything but help and Serah likes him a lot. He's helping her out with school and stuff. She's actually having more fun when he's around." She didn't want to admit it but she noticed Serah smile a lot more now than when it was just the two of them.

"He's even helped Vanille with school. She said that he was fun and nice. I say lay down the laws of Lightning and see what he thinks about it."

Lightning was interested to hear her opinion. "You don't think it's weird having a guy stay over like that?"

"You might be right. You might end up liking it too much. Once things get complicated, you'll have no choice but to kick him out of the house."

"I'm serious."

Fang grinned. "It's up to you. It might be something good and it could be something bad."

"I know that he has to leave earlier from here because his house is across Bodhum and he has to walk at night alone."

"So you're just looking out for him?" Fang could see a little of her concern. She gave her a nudge with her elbow. "Now when did you become a big softie?"

Lightning frowned. "I'm not."

The smile on Fang's lips grew bigger. "Can I move in with you too?"

Lightning rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Please. I rather choose him over you."

"One day, your mean comments are going to get to me and what would you do without me then?"

"Be happy."

"You know one more advantage of him staying? His room won't be too far from yours so you could sneak in any time you want."

Lightning walked forward. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." she replied sarcastically.

As they walked over, Hope climbed down the ladder and jumped down onto the ground. The two women stopped in front of him. He smiled toward Fang. "Hi!"

"Hey! Still won't change your mind about that drink with me?"

His nervous smile returned. He could see that she still wasn't going to let that go. "Probably not any time soon."

Fang sighed as she looked disappointed. "She has you on a tight rope doesn't she? All the housework she's making you do."

Lightning didn't believe that she had him on some kind of rope. "Don't listen to her. She wasn't raise in civilization."

Hope was surprised. "What do you mean?"

Fang didn't seem to take offense by it. "It's her cruel little joke. I wasn't born here on Cocoon. I was born on Pulse in a village along with Vanille."

Hearing that, Hope became interested in learning more about her and where she came from. "Oh! I would like to hear about that sometimes. I don't even think I've been to all the places on Pulse."

"Ah! So you have been? I could show you around sometimes when I get a chance." Fang placed her hand on Lightning's shoulder. "Anyway, I just came to see how this one was doing on her day off. Lucky." She turned to Lightning and smiled. "You don't have to worry now. I think that you scared all the women away when you pulled that little stunt of yours. It's hands off for them." Afterwards, she took off walking, leaving Lightning and Hope behind alone. Hope was confused as to what she meant by that. "What was she talking about?"

Lightning turned around from him. She knew exactly what she was talking about and thought it was best not to bother Hope about it. "Like I said. Ignore her." She was about to head back inside when she suddenly felt her arm being grabbed. Her eyes looked back to see Hope with a serious but concerned look. Lightning turned to him as she wondered why he stopped her. "You got scratched up there when you slid. You should probably take care of those. There's no telling what has been up there and how long."

She took her arm away. "You worry too much." She began walking and Hope followed behind. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed him. "Not working on it anymore?"

"Thought I would take a break. Is it all right if I take a shower again?"

There was no need for him to keep asking. "I told you before it's okay." They stepped inside and went their separate ways. Lightning went to shower in the hallway bathroom while Hope used the one in the same bedroom as before. Lightning was done first and got dressed right after. As she sat on her bed in her room, she began to think about the move in situation she discussed with Fang earlier. Would it be all right for him to stay for a short time? She didn't think that Serah would have a problem with it and it would help him after he helped them. The only disadvantage would be if some part of his past that she didn't know about was bad and the possibility that it could hurt or affect them in some way. The only way to ease the questions on her mind was to talk to him personally.

She stepped into the hallway and knocked on the door to see if maybe he was out of the shower. "Hope?" She opened the door and saw him sitting on the bed in just a towel wrapped around his waist. She was just glad that she didn't walk in on him changing. "Sorry. I thought that you were done."

Hope smiled. "It's okay. I just got out. What's up?"

Lightning's eyes drifted toward the side as she debated whether she should discuss what she was thinking now. Then, she decided that she would wait until another time. "It's okay. I'll say it later." She was about to walk away but Hope called her back. "Wait." Lightning stopped and looked back. "I…have a surprise for you."

A surprised look became written on her face. She had no idea what it could be. He held out his hand at his side. "Please. Sit." She walked back in and sat beside him. Hope reached away from her onto the floor. Lightning leaned over curious as to what he was getting. Then, he placed her gun blade on his lap and rechecked the work he did before he handed it to her. As she placed it on her lap, she looked at the area that he talked about repairing. "You fixed it. When did you do this?"

"When I had some time at home. I hope it's okay. You should test it out." He wanted to make sure that it was completely fixed.

Lightning nodded as she made a mental note to test it out later. She placed it on the bed out of the way. "Right."

Hope reached over and grabbed her hand. He flipped it over to where her palm was showing. There, he could see the red scratches she got from almost sliding off the roof. His eyes searched over and saw the marks still on her elbow. "You should take care of those."

Again, she could see that he was getting concern about her. To end it so that he would let it go, she stood up. "Fine." She left from the room and grabbed the first aid kit while he started changing. When she returned, all he was standing in were pants. Seeing that she came back, he sat on the bed and she sat in beside him. He took the first aid kit from her hand. Lightning watched as he opened it and started grabbing stuff from it. "I can do that myself you know."

"I know but I figured that it would be easier this way." Hope grabbed her hand and applied some antibiotic before bandaging it. He did the same for her elbow. She felt that it was unnecessary for him to go through the trouble but she was appreciative. "Thank you."

After he was done, he placed her arm back down gently onto her lap. "That could have been a hard fall if you would have hit the ground."

Again, she thought that he was getting worried over nothing. "I would have been fine."

Hope smiled. He would just have to believe her even if it was a long way down. "Whatever you say."

Lightning looked at him debating again whether or not she should say what was on her mind earlier. Now would be a better time than later. "Hope?"

"Yes?" he asked curiously.

"There's something that I wanted to say to you." Her eyes traveled toward the ground. "I've been thinking about it for a while." As she sat there, she thought about how she could phrase what she wanted to say but she knew there was a quick, direct way to say it. It was just a matter of getting the words out. Suddenly, she felt something touch her hand. When she looked over, she saw his hand on top of hers. "What is it?" Lightning raised her eyes to him, her words now temporary stopped. He smiled as he looked down. He lifted her hand from her leg and held onto it. "Your hands are soft."

With all the things she had done in the military, she was surprised to hear someone say that. "I don't see how." Once things turned silence, she found her eyes locked with his. There was still a gentle smile on his face. His thumb stroked across her skin. Usually, she would have avoided getting close like this but she didn't react immediately by pulling away. It took a few seconds but she moved her hand away from him. Then, Hope's eyes turned to the side. He felt that it was right for her to take her hand away. _"This isn't right. What am I thinking?"_

Lightning leaned over looking at his face. It seemed as if something was heavily weighing on his mind. "Something wrong?"

He turned his head to her. "No. It's nothing. Just…" Once his eyes caught glimpse of hers, he found himself stopping again. His words vanished. The feelings inside were starting to overwhelm him. She stared at him curiously. "Just…what?"

"You..." he whispered. Just once would it be all right to give in? Closer, his face moved toward hers. Her eyes traveled between his eyes and lips. At first, she was surprised by his action. She leaned back a little. "What are you doing?" she spoke softly between them. When Hope tried to think of an explanation, his mind came up blank. He was going based off of feeling. "I don't know."

Gently, he pressed his forehead against hers as the tips of their noses touched. Her eyes began to lower as she breathed out. She raised her hand and pressed it against his chest. Instead of pushing him away, her hand just stayed there. The tips of her fingers lightly brushed against his smooth skin. She shifted her body in closer to his, leaving no space between them. He placed one of his hands at the arch in her back while his other hand moved in underneath the pink strands of her hair hanging over her shoulder. The top of her short sleeve jacket became pushed further down her arm by his hand rubbing over her shoulder. He moved in but she moved back before he could catch her. His eyes opened partly to hers to see that she was staring at him. A faint smirk appeared on her lips. At that moment, he realized that this had become a game of cat and mouse. In return, his lips curved into a smirk as well. If he wanted her, he had to capture her.

At first, Lightning wasn't sure about letting him do this but then, she found it fun to just play around with him and afterwards, maybe it would be okay if it happened.

This time when Hope tilted toward her, she didn't move away. As much as his lips wanted to connect with hers while he still had her, he held back, thinking that he shouldn't. Finally, he closed his eyes as he pressed his forehead to hers again. Feeling that he was holding back, she placed her hand against his cheek as she leaned in toward him. She wasn't ready to let this end. His face tensed as he was trying to hold on to the last bit of resistant that was left in him. _"Maybe I shouldn't-."_

"I'm back!" Once they heard the familiar voice, they immediate back away from each other and looked over. Serah stood in the doorway as she looked curious as to what was going on. Lightning adjusted her jacket back onto her shoulder as she seemed calm. "Hey." she greeted her.

Serah searched their faces, trying to read if something was happening between them but it seemed as if nothing was. They weren't acting out of the ordinary but as usual. All she saw when she came in was the two of them quickly turning to her. "What's going on…?"

Lightning pointed out of the door. "Nothing. Go sit your stuff down."

"Okay." Serah decided to let it go, thinking it was nothing and left from the room. Hope and Lightning stared toward the floor in silence. What almost happened between them was still fresh in their minds. The two began to question if they had feelings for each other and if the other felt the same way. How else could they explain neither one of them pulling away at that moment? Soon, Lightning thought of something else that was on her mind. Once she looked at him, she came to a decision. She stood up from the bed in front of Hope and crossed her arms. "You still looking for a place?"

Hope lifted his head. A part of his mind was still thinking about a few minutes ago. "Yeah… Why? Do you know any?"

"I might…" Her eyes drifted off to the side. Lightning questioned herself one more time before she decided to stick to her decision. Then, she turned her eyes over to him. "Since you spend most of your time here anyway, what if I…let you rent a room here?"

The offer she made took Hope by surprise. "I couldn't-."

"Of course you wouldn't be staying here for free." Hope looked away from her. He didn't want to impose but he guessed it was a possibility. It might be a risk staying with her with everything that was going on but he wasn't completely against the idea. His eyes returned back to her. "And you wouldn't mind?"

Lightning shrugged. It didn't matter to her either way. "If you want to, I could let you stay."

Hope remained silence as he started thinking. He had to admit that he was interested. "I guess…it wouldn't hurt. Are you sure?"

"Before you actually decide, don't you want to hear what you will have to do around here?"

"Sure." He thought that would be the smart thing to do before he decided.

Lightning sat down on the bed with her body turned to him. "First of all if there's something I need to know about you, then you should let me know right now."

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

Lightning looked serious. "Any criminal history?"

"Not that I know of. There's really nothing interesting about me." Lightning searched his face for any sign that he was lying but he didn't seem to be. So far, he didn't cause reason for suspicion. "If you stay here, you'll pay for rent, food, water, and anything else. You'll have to clean up after yourself."

Hope nodded. It wasn't any different than what he had to do at his own place. At least now, he would have her help. "Okay."

"And soon, you'll have to cook."

Hope let a groan slip out. "Oh come on."

"Do you know how?"

"Maybe." He wasn't going to give her a definite yes or no yet.

"So? What do you say?"

Hope looked toward the floor. It didn't sound too bad. It was a little different than living by himself but this time he would have more help. Not only that but he wouldn't be alone anymore. This could be just the way to help him stay hidden. "What's your price?" After discussing it, they came to an agreement. Hope smiled, glad they got that settled. "All right. I'll move my stuff here."

Lightning stood up and headed for the door. "This will be the room that you'll be staying in." Before she could leave, Hope spoke again. "Before you go, can I ask you something?"

She stopped and looked back. "What?"

"It doesn't seem like you stay in this room. Who does this one belong to?" For a few seconds, Lightning remained silence as she thought back. Hope noticed a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "This room it…it belonged to my parents."

He didn't realize that the room was important. "Oh! Are you sure? I could-."

"It's fine. I said you could stay so you can stay." Hope was still unsure but he felt more at ease that Lightning said so. "Thank you for letting me stay here." Soon after, she left the room.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! The next chapter will be up next week. For now, I hope that you like this one. As always, let me know what you think~_

_Stand by: Do you like the Final Fantasy 13 series and want somewhere to express an open opinion about it or let your voice be heard? I'm interested in starting a forum here on the site and wondered if there are people who would like to get in on friendly discussions whether fun or serious. If you are interested, please let me know. Anyone welcomed! Thanks!  
_


	5. Underneath The Stars

_**Author's Note:** Hey! To everyone Happy New Year! I hope that you are having a good one and wish you well in 2013! As always, to everyone who has reviewed, added this story, and read it thank you. It is much appreciated. _

_To my reviewers who are still going through school right now or heading back soon, I wish you all the best of luck and hope that everything works out well. Thank you for taking the time to read. _

_So here's the new chapter! I hope that you will like it!  
_

* * *

_Chapter 5: Underneath The Stars:_

Serah and Vanille ran into the kitchen from outside and saw Lightning sitting at the table. A surprised look arose on Serah to see that she was sitting alone not doing anything. "Hey! What's going on?"

Lightning leaned back against her chair as she crossed her arms. "Just waiting."

The two girls glanced at each other curiously before they turned back to Lightning. "For what?" Serah asked.

"Probably on me." The girls heard a voice from behind them and saw Hope step in carrying a pot. A smile came upon his lips. It took a few days but he finally managed to move into the extra room that Lightning gave him. Serah and Vanille still wondered what they were up to. "What are you doing?"

A sigh left from him as he gave a playful, tired look. "Your sister is forcing me to cook."

Serah was surprised by the news. "Oh!"

Lightning closed her eyes as she appeared strict. "Like I said, if you're going to stay here, then you're going to pull your own weight."

Serah lifted her eyes up to Hope. "Oh come on Hope! You don't have to do what she says."

"Not if he's wants to be out of this house." Lightning warned.

Hope stepped over and placed the pot on the stove. "It's all right. This will be an even better plan. Wow! I haven't really cooked for people before, but when you live alone you got to learn somehow."

Lightning nodded in agreement. "Exactly. One of you might have to learn that too one day."

"I hope that what I'm making will be the best thing you ever had." A few hours later after everything was finish, Serah, Vanille, and Lightning sat together at the table and ate. When their plates were cleared, Serah and Vanille gave big grins and looked over at Hope. "Wow! This was really good!" Serah exclaimed.

Vanille closed her eyes as she rubbed her stomach. "This has been the best thing I had in a long time!"

Lightning sat in silence. She had to admit that it wasn't bad and it was nice not to cook this time. Hope looked back at them as he stood near the counter. "If you guys want more, there's plenty left over." His eyes traveled over to Lightning. On the table, he noticed that her plate was clean as well. "You want anymore?"

She thought that maybe she could handle another plate but she decided to save it. "Maybe later."

His smile increased as he thought of something. "You know. I think you might want to wait because…" Out of the fridge, he pulled out a plate with a cake on it. Instantly, Serah's and Vanille's eyes lit up at the chocolate delight that he held in his hands. Even Lightning was surprised. She didn't remember him making that. Hope placed it in front of them. Serah and Vanille pressed their hands against the edge of the table as they stood up. "Did you make this?" Serah asked curiously.

"Had to make a good impression for my new landlord." He cut out a piece for all four of them. Soon, Serah and Vanille began devouring it down. "Hope! You're the best!" Vanille said as her mouth was stuff with food.

Hope was about to try a piece of his own when Lightning stood up. She looked over at the girls with a serious stare. "Don't stuff too much of it. I don't need either one of you getting sick." Then, she turned to Hope. "And you. You haven't eaten yet and you're already skipping to dessert?"

Hope shrugged. He didn't see what the big deal was "So what? Try some."

"Yeah Hope. You should give her some." Hope's eyes moved over to see Serah wink at him as if she was planning something devious for him to do at his own risk.

Vanille grinned. "I dare you to do it." She gestured throwing the cake forward. Lightning caught Vanille in the act of signaling Hope on what to do. Right away, a frown appeared. Vanille giggled nervously as she stopped. She didn't want Lightning being mad at her either.

Lightning sighed and began turning to Hope. Hopefully now, everyone will listen to her. "Don't you dare think about-" It was already too late. Once she turned her head, it was instantly met with the soft dessert. Serah and Vanille couldn't believe that he done it especially to Lightning of all people but in the end, they burst out into laughter. Vanille opened her eyes and thought of a scheming idea of her own. She took the rest of the piece that she had and mashed it into Serah's face. At first, Serah was shocked that she done so but then attacked Vanille as well. Both of them started laughing as they were playing.

Most of the cake fell from Lightning's face onto the floor. She wiped away some of the icing from her skin. She couldn't believe that he done that. When she looked over, she saw Vanille and Serah having a food fight and getting it everywhere in the kitchen. "You two stop that!" At her yell, Vanille and Serah froze. When Lightning turned her attention to Hope, she saw him snickering with his eyes closed. He was trying to hide it so that she wouldn't get any madder than she already was. "You think this is funny?!" Hope shook his head as he continued laughing.

"Sis! Don't get mad! Get even!" Lightning listened to Serah and actually considered the idea. The kitchen was already in a mess so what more could they do to it? After calming down somewhat, Hope opened his eyes but still had his grin. "All right Light. I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I won't do it again."

Lightning debated about what she wanted to do, whether she should yell or get even. She crossed her arms and searched his face before she leaned forward toward him. "You don't look sorry."

"I am. I really am." Even though he said he was, he still continued to laugh silently with his eyes closed. While he wasn't looking, quickly she reached over and just grabbed a hand full of cake straight off of the plate he brought it on. Serah and Vanille looked surprised. Was she actually going to attack him?

"I'll give you something to be sorry about." When Hope opened his eyes, all he could see was cake coming fast at him. It was too late to dodge or escape. Instead, he had to take what was coming to him. Lightning rubbed and smeared it all around his face. Afterwards, she ate what was left on her fingers and began walking away. "You're right. This isn't bad." No one in the room could believe that she done that. "I bet you're sorry now."

Hope wiped what he could away from his face and looked over at her. There was no way that he would let her get away with that. He grabbed a handful of the squishy substance and tried to sneak up behind her. "Sis! Look out!" Lightning looked behind her and saw Hope approaching. For the few seconds that she had left, she had to consider her options. Easily, she could stop him by force and put an end to it right then or she could just let it play out. Hope tried to strike but she dodged. "Run!" she could heard Serah yell in the background.

Lightning listened and ran away from him through the living room. She decided to let this play out. Besides, she didn't want to physically hurt the guy. Though out their chase, Serah and Vanille stood nearby watching and laughing. Lightning opened the front door and ran outside so that she wouldn't risk breaking anything in the house. Hope chased after her. Serah and Vanille looked at each other before they went outside and watched the two run in the yard from the steps. Lightning looked back at Hope. "You're not going to catch me so you might as well give up."

Hope smirked as he was breathing hard. She had a good distance on him but he wouldn't give up. "You have to stop eventually and when you do, I'll be there to catch you."

Lightning returned the smirk. There was no way she would let him get her. "Good luck with that."

Serah crossed her arms as she saw them run behind the house. "At this point, Hope won't catch her. We need to find a way to get her too."

Vanille grinned as a thought popped into her mind. "Ooh! Serah! I have an idea!" The two turned to each other as they began to come up with a plan. When Lightning came back around to the front of the house, a concerned look came across her face. On the ground, she saw Serah sitting with her back turned. There was a sound coming from her as if she was crying. "Serah?" Lightning went over and kneeled down behind her as she tried to check on her. "Serah? Serah? Are you okay?"

When Hope came back around, Vanille stepped out of the house from where she was hiding to the door. He became concerned as well as he thought that Serah was hurt. In the doorway, Vanille grinned and pointed over at Lightning. Confusion was written on his face at her gestures. Seeing that he didn't understand, Vanille went over to him as he kneeled down. In his ear, she whispered what their plan was. Once Hope caught on, he nodded and sneaked up quietly behind Lightning.

"Serah! Answer me!" Lightning turned Serah over to see that she was giggling with her eyes closed. "What-?"

Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her, entrapping her. "I got you." Hope spoke lowly in her ear. He was kneeled down behind her.

Serah got out of Lightning's grasp as she continued laughing. "Sorry Lightning."

Lightning struggled a little in his embrace. "Come on Serah. You would betray your own sister?"

Serah sat in the grass in front of them. "Hey! We helped you first now we're helping Hope. We're allowed to switch sides." Vanille walked over and stood beside Serah once she got up. Both of them giggled. Hope's eyes traveled between the girls. "Now that we have her prisoner, what do we do with her?"

Lightning looked behind her as much as she could at him. "If you put any of that stuff in my face, I will hurt you."

Serah walked over to Hope and grabbed the soft substance out of his hand. A smirk appeared as she stared down at Lightning. "Then allow me. She can't hurt me since I'm her sister."

Lightning wouldn't put it passed her to go through with it. "Serah. Don't do this. If you do it, I'll ground you."

At those words, Serah dropped it out of her hand. She wasn't going to risk Lightning staying true to her word. "Fine. We'll just have to do something else."

Vanille held her finger to her chin as she looked up. "What should we do?"

"Whatever it is, you won't find out." Lightning managed to break free from Hope's grasp and pushed him back on the ground. She began to run off toward the door. The plan would be to lock them outside and leave them there until they would eventually quit trying to break in the door and beg her to let them in. Hope reacted quickly and dashed after her. He could already see that she was heading for the door. With enough speed, he caught up with her, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her down onto the ground with him. Lightning turned around on her back, seeing that he was above her. She tried to push him off but he wouldn't budge. Hope turned his head back. "I got an idea! Hurry!" He wasn't sure how long he could keep Lightning at bay before she tried to escape again. Serah and Vanille rushed over and went to his side. "Serah? Is she ticklish?"

Lightning couldn't believe that he would think of doing that to her. She frowned as she glared at him. "Don't you dare." Serah and Vanille looked at her and nodded. They kneeled down and began tickling her stomach but they failed to get her to laugh. Seeing that it didn't work, they stopped as Serah thought about it more. Finally, Serah waved her hand toward Vanille. "Come on." They ran over to her bare feet and began tickling her there. Instantly, her legs began to move out of control. "No…! Both of you…stop that…right now!"

It was no use. Why did she have to have a weakness right there? She closed her eyes as she began laughing loudly. Watching her caused a smile to come to Hope's lips. Never had he heard her laugh or have a smile as big as this one. Joining in on the fun, he tried again at her stomach. It only caused her to struggle and laugh more. It wasn't long before she felt a pain course through her stomach. "Seriously…Stop! Can't…breathe!"

Serah and Vanille let go of her feet as they looked at each other. "I think that's enough torture for now."

Vanille grinned, agreeing with Serah. "This was fun." They stood up and went over to Lightning where she could see them. Vanille placed her hands on her hips. At the same time, Serah crossed her arms as she smirked. "We'll let you go for now."

Lightning turned her head. She relaxed somewhat after their attack. "Just know that next time I'm going to get you all back for this."

Vanille placed her hands behind her back. "But we have Hope. He'll help us next time. Right Hope?"

Hope nodded. "Sure. Thanks for your help."

Serah smiled. "Anytime." The girls traveled over to the front steps and looked over at Lightning and Hope. They watched as Hope grabbed Lightning's hand and helped her to sit up. A smile came across Vanille's face. "Tonight was fun."

Serah held onto her arms. "That's probably the most fun we had since…"

Vanille became concerned as she saw Serah place her head down with a look of sadness. "Serah?"

Serah's eyes shifted over to Lightning. "I haven't seen my sister smile so much since our dad was still alive. Even then, I haven't seen her smile this much."

Vanille looked curious. "You think it's because of Hope?"

Serah glanced over at her. It was becoming her suspicion as well. "Maybe..."

Vanille held onto her arm behind her back as she tilted her head. "You know. I think that your sister may really like him."

Over the days that she saw the two together, Serah felt that it was more obvious. "You know. I'm starting to think that too."

On the ground, Hope sat beside Lightning. She gave him an upset glare. "Just know that next time you're the first one I'm taking out."

He leaned his arms on his knees that were near his chest and let out a small smile. "Then I'll just have to be careful then."

"Look at the mess you caused." she told him, remembering the condition the kitchen was in and how it all started. After things turned silent, Lightning lifted her head and gazed toward the stars that were up in the sky.

"But it was fun right?" Hope wanted to know what she was thinking so he could see if she was upset by it or liked it.

Lightning didn't want to admit it at first but it was nice to take a different approach to tonight. Since she didn't answer, Hope sighed and looked up at the sky along with her. Maybe she didn't have as much fun as he thought. He was hoping that she would have with him. "Hope?"

Hope's eyes moved over to her, a little disappointed. "Yeah?" Lightning flicked him in the forehead with her fingers. "Ow!" Hope rubbed the spot where she hit him and looked confused. "What was that for?"

"You're too soft."

Hope became a little upset that she called him "soft". "Hey! I was the one who caught you."

Lightning looked patronizing as she tilted her head back. "Yeah. With the help of two girls. Can't catch me on your own?"

He leaned in closer to her. "I can catch you whenever I want."

"Prove it." She was interested in that challenge. Quickly, Hope lunged over before she could attempt to get out of his range again. His hands grabbed onto her shoulders and pressed her down on the ground without hurting her. Serah and Vanille were surprised as they saw what happened. What was going on over there between them? Lightning stared up at him. She didn't finch nor expected him to make a move so fast. "I didn't even say start."

"Doesn't matter. You didn't say that I had to wait."

"I did have fun today just so you know."

A slight smile came on his face. He moved from above her and lied on his back on the ground beside her. "I'm…glad." He placed one hand behind his head. Both of them gazed at the stars in silence. Hope could recognize what each constellation was and went over them in his mind. "It really is beautiful isn't it? From where I came from, I couldn't see the stars like this."

"Where did you come from?" Lightning asked curiously.

Hope wasn't sure about telling her the real place he was talking about but maybe it wouldn't hurt to tell her where his hometown was. "Palumpolum. That's where I was born. You said before that you've been in Bodhum your whole life right?"

"Yeah even through the reconstruction it went under."

A gentle smile appeared on his lips. "It's…really peaceful here. This is how I want life to be. Every day it's just a new day and people around are just nice and happy."

Lightning wondered what he meant by that. "You want to stay here forever?"

If he had the chance to, he wouldn't mind living this kind of life. He was happy where he was. More, his smile grew. "What if I did? Would it be so bad?" Lightning looked toward the side. Did that mean that he wanted to stay here with them? "Light?"

She left from her thoughts and answered him. "Yeah?"

A little nervous, Hope managed to keep himself calm for what was on his mind next. When he moved his fingers a little, he could briefly feel hers beside him. "You…You have a pretty smile." Lightning's eyes opened a little more as she rotated her head to him. Where did that come from and why was he saying that out loud to her now? Even though she was surprised by his comment, she had to admit it was nice of him to say. The thought alone that he shared that made her face heat up a bit. Hope kept his gaze up toward the sky. He decided to keep his eyes off of her reactions just in case the looks she gave him were bad. He could live with the mystery of what she thought about what he said. Lightning turned her head back upwards. More, his fingers brushed against hers causing her fingers to move slightly. "It might be a lot to ask but… I don't want to lose that memory of seeing it so…is there a way that I could… see you smile again… even if it's just for me?"

At first, it was strange for her to hear all of that suddenly coming out of nowhere especially from him, but after getting passed that feeling, it was replaced with that of being deeply touched. "People smile when they're happy..." Softly, her fingers rubbed against his and moved in closer to the inside of his hand. Nearby, he could feel what she was doing. It wasn't long before their fingers intertwined with each other. "I would think the same applies to me. How else would you see someone's smile?" Hope smiled. Instead of spelling out what it would take to get her to smile, it was more like a clue that he would have to figure out. He could handle that. At least he hoped. "Can we go now? I think I can feel bugs crawling under me."

Hope sat up. "Yeah. Probably would be better before they get into the house too." Lightning sat up beside him and looked over to see that he was already staring at her. Her hand was on top of his that was touching the ground. She closed her eyes as she held her head down. "We better go. There's a lot that needs to be cleaned up." She was about to get up but Hope grabbed her hand, stopping her. The pull of his hand made her lean forward causing her forehead to become pressed softly against his. Her eyes lifted up to his.

What was he doing to her? Why was he having this affect? At that moment, she just wanted to stay there with him, feeling that the world only had the two of them in it. On the other hand, she wanted to push those thoughts aside. This wasn't for her. This wasn't what she was looking for. This was what she told herself a long time ago. She could be perfectly content without this feeling. Without someone like this to come into her life and showing her a new way to feel. Over time, it became hard to stand by those reasons. Why now? Why now when this stranger came into her life out of nowhere? Why did she feel like she wanted to be here with him? Her mind kept urging her to pull away, but it only became harder with everyday she was with him. How long would it be? Tomorrow? Another month? Another year before she would let go of this notion that she wanted her life to remain the same and give into this new reality?

Across the way, she wasn't the only one struggling to come to terms with their feelings. What he felt he was doing was wrong but at the same time, he just wanted to let that thought go and give into that deep desire to only be happy with her. When he came to New Bodhum, he didn't expect to find this. He just wanted to find something to do until he figured out what he needed to do next and stay hidden. Instead, he ran into her, a soldier with a little sister who just needed help on a few homework problems. Now all he could wonder is how to resist the temptations that rose into his mind when it came to this beautiful woman before him. Any longer in her presence and he was sure that he would break down. It wasn't as if he didn't almost already. Eventually, he would face the inevitable dilemma. If it ended in just one kiss or something more, he wouldn't regret it.

As they sat there, he held her hand in between both of his. Once their thoughts cleared, all that was left was silence. Then, her head leaned on top of his shoulder as her eyes closed. Hope gazed over to see her bangs covering her eyes. Like her, he decided to give in as well. His arm wrapped around her waist, holding her closer to him. He leaned his head on top of hers and closed his eyes. All he could hope was that the moment wouldn't end.

"Hey!" Hearing Serah's voice behind them, they both turned their heads and saw Serah and Vanille standing near the door. Completely realizing what she was doing, Lightning backed away from Hope and got up quick enough to create some distance between them. "We still need to clean up." She wondered what she was doing. Once again, without thinking, she was getting too close to him. Now it was back to keeping her distance.

Hope was surprised by how much she wanted to get away from him. Was she trying to resist just like he was? Afterwards, he stood up and patted his pants to get some of the dirt off. He headed in the same direction as she did.

Serah and Vanille watched Lightning as she was heading toward them. Vanille was surprised by what happened. "Did you see that?"

Serah was a little concerned. The two were really close just then. "Yeah. Maybe we're right." Vanille nodded. She thought that they were. Serah continued. "I've never really seen Lightning with a guy before."

"At least if it's Hope then he could stick around more often."

Serah turned her attention back to Vanille. "I guess that could be a good thing." She was still uncertain about whether it was good or bad but she would just have to see how things would go. Soon, all four of them headed back inside into the kitchen.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_So that's it for this chapter! I hope that you liked it. It was supposed to be longer but then it came out too long so I had to split this part into two chapters. We're a little closer to revealing what's going on. As always, let me know what you think and I'll post back next week! Thanks! _


	6. After Dinner and A Movie

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thank you again to everyone who has read the story, been keeping up with it, sending reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts. It is much appreciated._

_In other news, if anyone is still interested, I will begin the forum I mentioned a few chapters ago next week around this same time. Remember that anyone is welcome to join and a variety of topics will be discussed weekly. If anyone else is interesting in joining, let me know. It'll be fun!  
_

_I hope that you will enjoy this chapter! Remember this is a continuation off of the last chapter.  
_

* * *

_Chapter 6: After Dinner and A Movie:_

As Lightning stood in the kitchen with Hope, Vanille, and Serah, she placed her hands on her hips, serious. "Since it's getting late and you both got school tomorrow, go ahead and get ready for bed." Then, her eyes traveled to Hope behind her. "We'll handle this mess." Shortly after, Serah headed into the bathroom that they had in the hall as Vanille went into the one that was in Hope's room. Hope began putting away the food into the fridge as Lightning cleared the table. Afterwards, they both started cleaning the food off of the floor. Once Lightning finished cleaning her side, she sat on the floor against the cabinets tired. She glanced over at Hope who was still cleaning. She noticed all the cake that was on his face and clothes. As she closed her eyes, she shook her head and smiled a little. "You got a lot of cleaning up to do."

Hope looked surprised but then smiled. Once he finished cleaning, he sat down and joined in beside her. "You're not as bad but you still got some chocolate on your face." Lightning began rubbing her face trying to get it off. He grinned at her attempt to blindly wipe it off. She caught sight of his grin and frowned, thinking that he was laughing at her. "This isn't funny."

He placed his thumb against her cheek and tried rubbing the chocolate off. "I know but you're spreading it everywhere. Let me try." He continued but wasn't having much luck himself. Eventually, he stopped. "Be easier with water."

"Then go get some."

Hope lifted his eyes up toward the sink but then let out a groan. "But I'm already sitting and its way up there." All of a sudden, an idea crossed over his mind. His eyes traveled back down to her. "Well there are other ways."

"Like what?" she asked curiously.

Once he thought it through, the idea would be too awkward to even suggest out loud. It was better to let it go. "It's nothing. We still got to get clean up anyway."

Lightning grew suspicious. He was about to get up but she wouldn't let him go that easily. "What? What was your idea?"

Hope looked down and to the side a little nervous. "Seriously it was nothing."

Lightning crossed her arms as she frowned. "Seriously what was it?" Giving it a few seconds, he still didn't answer her so she decided to push it. "What? Are you scared?"

In return, a frown appeared on his face. There was no way that she was going to call him scared. "No." He didn't want to say it out loud but trying it was more of a risk. Then again maybe if he did, she wouldn't hit him. "All right. Fine. Hold still." Lightning wondered what he was about to do. He leaned in close which she looked surprised. It was a little weird to him at first but she wanted to know what he was thinking. His lips became pressed against her cheek. On her skin, she could feel his tongue. Her eyes widened as she could feel her face heat up. Soon, he sat with his back against the cabinets. To his surprise, he liked what happened. "It actually doesn't taste bad on you."

A blush came across her cheeks as she tried to appear angry. The move on his part was much unexpected. "What-? What was that?"

He gave her an honest look. "You wanted to know my idea so I showed you."

Lightning crossed her arms. "You would do that after we've been outside?"

Hope smiled. "Well we didn't put our faces in the ground. I'm sure it's fine." She wiped her cheek with her hand over the place where his lips were. As he watched her, he began to think maybe he went too far. He didn't want her to be upset with him. "I won't do it again."

After she was done, Lightning let her hand rest against her cheek. Her expression changed into calm and curious. "Where else do I have it?"

He was a little surprised that she asked. His eyes searched over her face. "It's kind of all over."

She placed her hands together on her legs. It was crazy what she was thinking, but a part of her wanted to try it again. "Well aren't you going to help me get it off?"

Hope stared at her amazed especially that she would let him do it again. Still, he didn't want to pass on the opportunity. "Yeah." Gently, he placed his hand on the side of her face as he moved in. He knew just the spot he wanted to get. His lips moved in on the edge of her lips. Lightning let out a small smile as she felt his tongue tickling the spot that he was in. Once he parted from her, she opened her eyes. Their faces only inches away. "Don't I have any close to the spot that you were just in?"

Hope caught the hint of the spot she meant. "Yeah."

Lightning's eyes traveled between his eyes and mouth. "You have a little on your lips."

"Maybe we can help each other get it off." he whispered between them. Slowly, their minds began to fade into the background. She placed her hand on his shoulder as they moved in closer. Their eyes lowered to a close as their lips parted. Her back became pressed against the cabinets as he cornered her. Her other hand slipped upwards to the strands of his silver hair.

"Hey Lightning! We were wondering if-." Suddenly, Serah stopped along with Vanille as they looked curious. Hope and Lightning turned their attention to where they were. The girls wondered what they were doing on the floor but mostly what they were about to do.

Lightning regained her composure and stood up as she straightened out her skirt. A little of her nervousness showed through her serious expression. "Serah? What were you saying?"

Serah wanted to ask if something was going on between Hope and her and didn't tell her, but she stuck to the other question that was on her mind. "Since it's still early, can we watch a movie or see what's on TV?"

Lightning checked the clock. There was still some time before they had to go to bed. "All right."

Serah and Vanille headed over to the couch and sat down as they searched through the channels for something to watch. While they were sitting in the living room, Lightning stepped into the hall bathroom to clean her face. "Ooh! Let's watch that one!" Vanille pointed toward the television as they stopped on one channel.

Serah smiled. "Oh right! I know this movie. Let's watch it."

Lightning was about to head into the kitchen to help Hope but he smiled at her. "I got this. Why don't you watch what they're watching out there?"

She was a little surprised. "You sure?"

Hope nodded. He remembered last time when he and the girls spent time together and Lightning was still cleaning up in the kitchen. He figured this time that he could do something nice for her and let them hang out together. "Yeah."

Lightning decided not to question it and went into the living room with Serah and Vanille. She stopped behind the couch. "Hey. Mind if I watch this with you?"

At first, Serah was surprised but then she smiled. "Sure if you want." It had been a long time since Lightning sat with her to watch a movie. Lightning lied down with Serah in front of her and Vanille lied near Serah's feet. "What is this anyway?"

"You might not like it. It's a romantic comedy thing." Serah was right. Usually, she wasn't into those movies, but at least she got to spend time with her sister. A smile formed on Hope's face as he watched the others. Mostly that Lightning and Serah were spending time together. As they were watching the movie, he finished cleaning up and eating what he didn't get to earlier. After the movie was over, Serah stood up and stretched as she started to get tired. She looked back at Lightning. "What did you think?"

Lightning leaned her head on her hand. It wasn't totally interesting but it wasn't boring either. "It was okay I guess."

Vanille stood up as she smiled. "I thought it was really sweet."

Lightning sat up. "All right. Enough watching TV. Time for both of you to go." Vanille and Serah moaned as they walked away. All of them said good night to each other before the girls retreated to Serah's room. Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes, tired herself. She was about to turn off the television with the remote in her hand but suddenly felt it snatched away from her. She opened her eyes surprised to see Hope plop down on the couch beside her with a bowl in his hand. "Thanks." He started surfing through the channels. "You want to watch something with me?"

Lightning leaned back against the couch as she crossed her arms. She wasn't really in the mood. "I don't know…" Finally, he stopped on one channel and saw something interesting going on. There was a man jumping from one roof to the other. From that, he assumed that it was some kind of action movie. "I wonder what this one is." The two started watching in silence.

"This isn't one of those movies Serah was watching is it?"

Hope was a little confused as he tried to figure it out from the scenes he witnessed. "I'm…not sure."

"I think I had enough of those for one day."

For a few minutes, the two watched to understand what was going on until they saw a man approach a woman in her apartment. After a few words, the two soon began kissing which eventually led to them lying on her bed. Lightning felt uneasy about watching the scene. When her eyes shifted over to Hope, she didn't see him looking at her. He just kept his eyes toward the television. Her eyes turned away to the side. The longer it stayed there, the more she had to fight her thoughts from traveling, but it was too late. Already she could see images flashing of the two of them in her mind. How his lips would be pressed against hers in a kiss.

"This might be better." When Lightning snapped out of her thoughts, she saw that he already changed the channel to something else. "You don't mind watching a scary one do you?"

She shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

Hope relaxed against the cushions. Like her, his thoughts started racing to that same place. With the lights cut off, they watched the movie as a bowl of popcorn sat between them. As they kept their eyes on the screen, their hands reached into the bowl at the same time. For a moment, they could feel their fingers brush against each other. Surprised at first, they just moved passed it and grabbed how much they wanted. Hope looked over at her. "So? Do you like movies like this?"

Lightning crossed her arms against her stomach. "Movies like these are silly. It's just people making the same mistakes over and over again."

He arched his eyebrow as the corner of his lips curved up into a smirk. "So nothing like this scares you?"

She kept her eyes on the screen. "It would take a lot more than some guy with a knife to scare me."

"Hmm…" As they continued watching the movie, a plan formed into his mind. This would be something interesting to take on. He placed his arm on the top of the couch. While she was paying attention to the screen, lightly he brushed his fingers against her arm just to see if it would get some kind of jump out of her. Lightning looked over to see what it was but it didn't make her jump. "What are you doing?"

Hope sighed with his eyes closed. "I guess that didn't work."

If he wanted to scare her, he was doing a poor attempt at it. "You'll have to do better than that." When she looked over, she saw his arm lying on top of the couch. The move seemed very familiar. "Was that the reason you wanted me to watch a scary movie with you? It's a lame way just to wrap your arm around a girl."

Hope glanced over at his arm before he looked back at her. "I wasn't planning anything. It was just something I found on."

"Hmm…" She gave him a look of suspicion before she looked back at the screen. After thinking about it, she took the empty bowl from between them and headed into the kitchen. He was curious as to what she was up to but then turned his attention back to the movie. When Lightning came back, she dropped down beside him with her arms crossed and no space between them. Hope was surprised that she was sitting so close to him. There was no smile to her face just like before she left. Neither one of them said a word. After a few minutes, he decided to test out what she commented on earlier and placed his arm around her. He expected her to react by taking his arm away or telling him off. Instead, she relaxed and leaned on him. The warmth coming off of his body was very inviting. The feeling brought a smile to his face.

As the movie progressed further, the two watched as a female character that tried to run away from the mysterious killer was just murdered by them. Hope jumped a little at the gruesome way her head was severed. He looked over at Lightning seeing that she didn't even flinch at the sight. "Seriously? Nothing?"

Lightning shook her head. "Nope."

Hope sighed. "Fine... Anyway, I'll be right back." He left from the living room while she sat and continued watching. After some time passed, Lightning looked back wondering what was taking him so long. There was no sign of him. She turned back as she crossed her arms and started watching again.

Moments later, she felt as if someone was standing behind her. Her eyes drifted toward the side. Quickly, she turned around but saw no one was there. She sighed as she looked at the television again. If Hope was up to something, she would find out soon what it was.

Suddenly, she heard a noise. Again, she twisted around but saw no one there. She got up and walked around the couch. "Hope if that's you-." When she looked at the floor behind the couch, she saw that no one was there. Suspicious, she searched around the kitchen but spotted nothing there either. Soon, she stepped into the hallway and saw that his door was closed. "Hmm…" She returned back to where she was sitting. Could Hope still be in his room? Her eyes traveled toward the ground. She thought about going to his room to check on him and make sure that he was okay. Once more, she heard a louder noise coming from the back of the house. Finally deciding to go, Lightning turned around on the couch. She went into the hall and cautiously stepped toward Hope's room. "I told you, you can't scare me."

Slowly, Lightning pushed opened his door quiet. The room was dark. When she opened the door, she searched around and saw that his room looked torn apart. The window was opened as a light breeze from the ocean was blowing against the curtains. Once her eyes traveled down, she saw him lying on the ground with a knife stuck into his back and blood. Lightning rolled her eyes. "Really? That's your way to scare me?" She shook her head and kneeled down. "Oh no. A fake knife. Right…I'm really scared now." She tried to pull the knife out but it was struggle to at first. Once she pulled it out, she observed it. For a fake knife, it had some weight to it. When she touched the edge of it, it had a sharp point. She was amazed. The knife seemed real.

When she looked down, she saw the blood spread out from underneath him. A little of the blood got on her knee. Quickly, she stood up. "All right Hope. It's not funny anymore." There was no response from him. Lightning sighed, playing along with him. She turned him over onto his side to see his eyes closed and blood coming from his mouth. Blood was also coming from a cut on his neck. Even she had to admit that the scar looked believable. She placed her hand over his mouth to see if he was breathing but there was no breath that she could feel. As she was kneeled down, she rested her arm on her knee that was up. "Are you done playing now?"

There was no response. Lightning began shaking him but he didn't move. "I'm serious. I'm done. I'll just leave you here all night." She was about to walk away but looked back. As much as she wanted to leave, she had to make sure that he was okay. He was still carrying on as if he was dead. She sighed and kneeled back down to him. A few times she poked him in the stomach but there was no reaction. It didn't look at if he was breathing. "Hope? Hope! Wake up right now!"

"What's going on?" Lightning turned her head hearing her sister's familiar voice. Serah was standing with Vanille in the doorway. "Serah? Vanille? What are you doing up?"

Serah rubbed her eye, sleepy. "We heard a noise."

Vanille's expression changed to scared. She placed her hands to her lips. "Oh no! What happened to Hope?!"

"Nothing he-." Lightning was about to explain to them that Hope was just joking around but Serah interrupted. She looked worried. "Lightning?! Is he dead?!"

"No. He's just-."

Vanille rushed over to check on him. "Hope! Hope! Wake up!"

Serah grabbed onto Lightning's arm and began shaking it frantically. "We have to do something! We have to call someone!"

"Everyone relax." She didn't want them getting afraid over nothing. Lightning began shaking Hope again. "Come on Hope! Stop playing around!" There was still no response. Maybe there was something really wrong with him. "Hope!" she called again. Then, she started to get worried. Quickly, Lightning turned to Serah. "Serah! Get the phone! We need to hurry! Maybe there's still some time-."

Suddenly, Hope grabbed her arm which made Lightning jump. Her eyes widened as she saw Hope grinning silently. At that moment, Lightning wanted to punch him for making them all worry. Serah and Vanille were surprised but confused as to what was going on. Hope sat up as he started laughing louder. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean for it to go this far! I was just trying to scare your sister. I didn't want to scare you both too."

Serah looked upset. "That's wasn't very nice."

Vanille pouted as she placed her hands on her hips. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry. I really am." Beside him, he heard a sigh of frustration. Lightning stood up, upset. "All right. Come on. Everyone back to bed." Serah and Vanille headed back to Serah's room. Lightning glared over at Hope before she walked out of the room. Hope sighed as his eyes lowered. He knew there was a risk of her reacting that way but he didn't know how much she would get mad at him for it.

As the night continued, Lightning sat in the living with her arms crossed. Still, she was upset that she believed that he was in trouble for one minute. After some time, Hope was done cleaning up the mess that he made of the room and himself. It took a while but he thought it was worth it. Quietly, he stepped behind Lightning who was sitting on the couch watching television. He placed his hands on her shoulders as he pressed his head beside hers. "Hey." Lightning moved aside out of his reach without saying a word. Hope smiled and leaned against the couch. "You're still mad at me?" She remained silence as she kept her arms crossed. Her eyes refused to acknowledge him. Hope laughed silently and sat beside her. "It was only a joke." He tilted his head as he became curious. "Are you mad at me because I actually scared you?"

Lightning frowned more. "You didn't scare anyone."

"That's not how it looked to me. I didn't think you were going to fall for it either until Serah and Vanille came in. Other than that, I didn't know how much longer I could stay like that. I wanted to laugh so much."

"Ha ha ha." Lightning mocked. "You got your laugh."

Hope didn't want her to stay mad at him. He moved in closer to her. "Are you going to stay mad at me?"

"I can."

Soon, he moved closer to where there was no space between them. "Still?"

Lightning's eyes drifted off to the side. "Just go away."

"Not until you admit that I got you."

Lightning wouldn't response. His fingers reached over and tried to tickle her at her waist but she kept knocking his hand away. "Hope stop that." Hope didn't listen but only leaned closer on her. She tried to block him off with her shoulder but he just ended up laying his head against her arm as his arms wrapped around her waist. His weight pressing down on her got the best of her and made her fall forward until she hit the cushions. Lightning looked over at Hope as she was lying on her side. "Get off of me." Hope still wouldn't budge but only hugged her tighter. Seeing that he wouldn't let go, she decided to give in. "Fine. I'm not mad at you anymore."

Hope sat up and leaned off of her onto his hands. "Really?"

"Yes." she answered so that he would stop bothering her.

Hope relaxed as he lied down beside her. "That's good." It was strange being so close to him but slowly she was getting used to it. His body felt warm to the touch. It was comforting. Behind her, Hope closed his eyes and rested as if he was sleeping. Lightning leaned her head on her arm as she closed her eyes as well. With all the playing around they did today, she was exhausted. It wasn't long before she fell asleep without realizing she done so.

* * *

_Well that's it for this chapter. I hoped that you liked it. As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back with the next chapter next week._


	7. Make The First Move

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! As always, thank you for sending in your reviews, reading, and adding this to your favorites and alerts.  
_

_Good news! Last chapter I announced that the forum was coming up and this week, I just put it up. So if anyone is interested, the first topic is already up and I hope that you will follow along. _

_I put the link under my profile at the bottom of my page so that it would be easier to get to. For some reason, I can't paste it in here. If it doesn't show up on my page, check under the FF13-2 category. It's called "The World of Final Fantasy 13". I hope that you will join and express your opinion. It will be fun.  
_

_Now as for this chapter, I must give a warning that halfway through, things get a little heated but I would say still in that T-rating. Other than that, I hope that you will like it!  
_

* * *

_Chapter 7: Make The First Move:_

"I heard that you guys had quite the fun the other night." Fang's eyes traveled over to Lightning standing beside her. The two stopped at a local stand to get something to drink and take a break from being on duty. Lightning gave a casual shrug. "It was all right."

A smirk appeared on Fang's lips. "Really? Vanille said you had a lot of fun with them and Hope."

The pink haired soldier glanced over at her before walking away on the beach. "It was all right."

"Hmm…" Fang figured that she had more to say than just "all right". She believed that Lightning was holding back on what she actually thought about it. She rushed and caught up with her. "Anyway when are you inviting me over to eat?"

Lightning arched her eyebrow. "Invite you to eat?"

Fang pressed her hand on the side of her waist. "From what I heard from Vanille, that new houseguest of yours can cook."

Lightning let out a shrug. "So?"

"Come on. Let me get in on it. Don't keep him all to yourself."

Lightning looked at her but then sighed. She turned and started walking away. "At least you asked ahead of time instead of dropping by unannounced."

The next night, Lightning stood in the kitchen as she started to prepare the food. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Hope step in beside her. He was surprised to see her already in the kitchen. "You're helping me tonight?"

"I figure with Fang here, we better make as much as possible." Her eyes turned back to Fang who was sitting on the couch with Serah and Vanille in the living room. "There might not be any left."

Fang looked behind her as she leaned back against the couch. Her fist waved through the air. "I heard that!"

Lightning turned her attention back to the food in front of her. As the girls were watching television, sometimes Fang would check to see what Hope and Lightning were up to. They stood next to each other, chopping up vegetables and chatting. Lightning glanced between both of their cutting boards since they were both comparing how they made food. "Mine has the better cut."

A grin appeared on Hope. "Oh come on! No offence but mine is better. It's evenly cut and thin enough to look like there's more than there really is." An idea crossed over his mind, becoming interested. "I could show you if you want."

She continued cutting away. "Right…I think that it would better if I show you. I've been doing this for years."

"Here." He stepped over behind her as he placed his hand on top of her hand that held the knife. His other hand was off to the side on hers helping to hold the food down. "If you try it my way, then I'll try it your way. Then we'll see."

A faint smile came on her face that she hid from him. That sounded like a challenge that she could beat him at. "Fine but it'll be a waste of time. It'll only prove that mine is better."

"Try me." Closely, he stood behind her with no complaints from either side about personal space. In a way, it actually proved to be quite fun. Together, they began cutting as his hands remained on top of hers. Nervously, Hope smiled. "Just don't cut me."

"Then don't put your hand in the way," she warned him. As they were working, his index finger began to slightly rub the top of her hand. The weird sensation took away a little of Lightning's concentration. Soon, it became too distracting and caused her to halt. "Stop that." Her eyes flashed back at him with a glare of suspicion. "You're trying to mess me up aren't you?"

Hope gave an innocent smile as he held his hands up from her. "Now why would I do that?"

Her eyebrow gave a slight arch. "You do know I have a knife in my hand? If you see blood, then it's not my fault."

"I trust you but it would be better if you focused more." Hearing him say that caused her to let out a frown. The whole reason they were having this conversation was because of him. Quietly, she continued on with his hands placed back on top of hers. Another idea came to Hope's mind but he wasn't sure how she would react. Hopefully, it didn't result in either one of them getting cut. With a sly smirk, his head leaned on top of her shoulder. His hands were no longer guiding her on how to cut. Slowly, he moved into the curve of her neck. Once she felt him against her skin, she tilted her head toward him as an attempt to block him. When it was too much, she stepped away. A part of her was surprised at what he did but at the same time irritated because she knew why he did it. "What are you doing?"

Hope snickered as he closed his eyes. "I told you about getting distracted. You still haven't finished cutting yet?" He shook his head playfully in disappointment. "If it was me, I would have been done by now." He stepped over toward her board and began cutting for her. "I guess I can take over from where you left off, and here I thought you were going to show me that you can cut better."

Lightning couldn't believe that he pulled something like that just to fool around with her. There was no way she was going to let him get away with it. She slipped in front of him which he looked surprised and began slicing again. "Are you done playing around now or have you given up on proving me wrong?" A smirk came across his lips. He stepped back in behind her. She placed her hands on top of his as she was helping him to cut. "It's my turn to show you. I hope that you can keep up."

Nearby, Fang shook her head as she wanted to laugh at the scene. "Those two are flirting and they don't even know it."

"They might know it a little." She looked over at Vanille who was sitting up on her knees beside her.

The grin faded away from Fang. "What are you doing?"

"Spying like you. There wasn't anything on."

"You're right. This is better than what's on that thing." Then, Fang placed her hand over Vanille's eyes. "Just in case don't stare. There might be something you don't need to see."

Vanille grabbed her hand and pulled it down as she had a disappointed look. "Oh come on Fang!"

Fang shook her head and waved her finger. "Peeks no stares."

Vanille frowned, upset. "But that's what you're doing."

As Serah was sitting on the floor working on what she had to for school, she watched as the two argued over who got to spy on her sister. She sighed as she shook her head and returned back to her work. True, she was curious to see how far things would go and she wanted her sister to be happy, but at the same time she wondered with someone new in her life, how would things change as far as the two of them? With that thought in mind, a part of her was happy but another part of her was worried.

After Lightning finished cutting with Hope, he took his hands away from hers. "Done!"

She placed her hand on her hip. "So? Who won?" she asked curiously.

Hope smiled. He didn't care who won. It was just fun being able to do that with her. "Let's just call it a draw for now. Besides, it shouldn't be decided with just us."

Lightning gave a small shrug. He had a point. It would be fairer that way. "I guess." Both of them turned toward the stove as they started cooking. Then, she stepped over to the fridge and searched around inside. "So? What else do we need?" Before he could say anything, they heard a familiar voice. "Hey!" Their eyes traveled over to Fang who stepped into the kitchen. "You mind if this one takes a break with me?"

Lightning crossed her arms as she frowned. "What work have you done?"

Fang pointed toward the fridge. "Just grab one of the cold ones out of the fridge and come with me."

Lightning exchanged unspoken looks with Hope to see if he could handle being in the kitchen without her. In return, he gave her a smile to tell her it was okay for her to leave. "You can go if you want. I can handle stuff from here." Lightning glanced over Fang who was smiling at her. She debated about going with her but then decided she could use the air. With the summer weather, the heat was making things worse in the kitchen. She went into the fridge and grabbed two beers before she headed outside with Fang. Both of them sat on the steps next to each other. Fang exhaled as she smiled. "Ah! Feel that heat. Nothing like one of these on a hot night." In her hand, she shook the dark colored bottle up in the air. Lightning couldn't argue with that. The dark haired woman looked over at Lightning as she smirked. "So? Done with all your playing around in there?"

Lightning gave her a confused look. "What playing?"

Fang let out a laugh. There was no way she could be that oblivious. "Really? How close the two of you were in there? I think I already know what you want after dinner."

Lightning leaned her arms on top of her knees as she decided to indulge into what Fang was thinking. "What are you going on about this time?"

"Oh come on! Please! I'm not blind." She pointed toward the front door. She was willing to bet anything to prove that she was right. "If you walked back in there right now, the two of you would be right back in there flirting all over again."

Lightning shook her head and turned her eyes off to the side, away from her. "You're crazy."

Fang thought she was in complete denial. Since Lightning wouldn't admit it, she decided to issue a challenge. "Am I? Prove me wrong then. If I am, I'll leave you alone about this." She shook her bottle. "You mind getting me another one?" Lightning thought about Fang's offer. It was silly to even think about humoring it. A smirk came on Fang's lips. "Come on…I know you want to try it. As soon as you walk in, he'll be staring right at you." she pushed it along further. It was just interesting watching those two in the same room together pretending as if they didn't know what they were doing. Never before had she seen Lightning act this way.

Lightning remained silence as she continued thinking about it. Finally, she stood up and took the bottle from Fang's hand. Her bottle was empty as well. "Don't drink too many of these. You need to at least be able to walk home."

Before Lightning left, Fang called her back. "Hold on! Come here." Lightning sat back beside her curious as to what she wanted this time. "What-?" Fang reached over and loosened the first button from the front of her shirt to show off more of her bosoms. Underneath, she had a low cut, black, tank top. Lightning looked surprised. "What are you-?"

"No way will he keep his eyes off of you now."

Lightning shook her head and stood up. Fang's eyes traveled back, noticing that she didn't exactly button it back up. Through the doorway, she could watch the scene unfold. Lightning stepped back into the kitchen still with Fang's words on mind. She went over near Hope who was standing in front of the stove, and placed the two empty bottles on the counter with her back turned to him. So far, it seemed that his attention didn't go to her. "You haven't burn anything yet have you?"

Hope looked over. "There's no smoke so I assuming not." When Lightning turned around to him, his expression changed for a few seconds to stun. She grabbed two more bottles near the bottom of the fridge, making her body bend downward. As he kept his eyes on her, he felt a little nervous but kept it to himself. To ease some of it, he continued talking to her. "It must be hot outside. I can feel the heat coming in from here."

Curiously, Lightning looked over and closed the refrigerator door behind her. Her back leaned against it. "A little. We'll be back in soon." When she looked at his eyes, they didn't seem as if they were drifting off to other parts of her. Either they weren't moving to get caught or he wasn't interested.

Afterwards, she returned back outside and sat down on the steps with Fang. She handed her one of the bottles she had in her hands. After thinking about what happened, she figured that he just wasn't interested. "Happy now? It didn't work. I told you-."

Fang looked toward the ground, thinking back to what she seen. "He's a sneaking one isn't he? Looking while you weren't looking. Of course you wouldn't see it."

Lightning was a little surprised to hear her say so. "And how do you know?"

A small smile came to Fang. "Stood in the doorway while you weren't looking. You should watch that one. He's good on his timing." Lightning shook her head as she looked across the beach. On the outside, she made it seem as if it was no big deal and that she would just brush it off, but in her mind she wondered what that actually meant as to what he thought about her. After finishing their drinks, they headed back inside. Fang returned back to the living room as Lightning helped Hope in the kitchen.

After dinner was over, Fang and Vanille headed out to their own house and Serah turned in to sleep for the night. Lightning settled down on the couch, tired after all the cleaning up in the kitchen. She stretched out somewhat letting her body unwind from the tension. Suddenly, her eyes closed tight as she felt a pain in the middle of her back. She managed to relax as she closed her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Curiously, she opened her eyes to the voice and looked behind her to see Hope heading toward the couch. "Yeah. Why?"

He walked over and sat beside her. His eyes searched over her face. "You look…kind of stressed."

Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. "I'm not. Just a little pain."

He became curious. "Where?"

Lightning placed her hand behind her back, feeling the ache. "In my back. I'm not sure where it came from. It probably was from being on duty yesterday."

"I heard that if you exercise the spot that is sore or try and rub the pain out, it might help it go away."

Her eyes traveled over to him. "What are you suggesting?"

Hope gave a small, nervous smile. "It might be kind of hard to exercise the pain out depending on where it is. I'm not exactly a massage therapist but I could try to help. Do you mind?" The offer was strange but overall Lightning didn't see anything wrong with it. It was possible that it could help. She turned on the couch to where her back was facing him. Hope scooted in closer behind her. "So where is it?" She placed the tips of her fingers against the spot as much as she could. He placed his thumbs against the spot she pointed to and began to massage it. Her eyes closed in pain but soon relaxed as he continued. "You feel tense. I guess that's what happens sometimes in your line of work. I know how that feels."

"How do you usually get through it?"

Hope turned silent. The only thoughts that came to mind is someone he knew that offered to massage him or would do it without him either saying yes or no. Either way, this probably wasn't a great time to mention it. Lightning looked back curious to see what was taking so long for him to answer. He smiled nervously. "I guess there really isn't time to get through something like that."

Shortly after, she felt his fingers shift further apart across her back. The way that his fingers moved felt good against her. Her eyes lowered to a close as she held her head down. His hands traveled up to her shoulders. Hope tried his best to maneuver around her shirt but was having some trouble doing so. The problem became solved as Lightning reached up and pulled down parts of her shirt that were on her shoulders down her arms, revealing more of her skin. "Is that better?"

At first, Hope froze as he watched her. It took some time for him to response but then he placed his hands back on her shoulders, getting over his nervousness. "Yeah. That works."

"You don't have to keep doing this."

"Really I don't mind."

Lightning became quiet as she turned her head back forward. "You can get closer if you want." Hope was surprised by her suggestion. Nervously, he moved his hands away from her shoulders and went underneath her shirt to her back. His fingers massaged against her skin. Already, she could feel all the tension releasing from her as she breathed out. The way his hands worked were like magic. Minutes after, she turned to him, not wanting him to tire his hands out. "Thanks."

Hope looked surprised. "You sure? I could keep going."

Her lips curved into a slight smile. "We'll be here all night."

"Then… it was okay?"

Lightning placed her hand on top of her shoulder as she looked back at him. "Yeah. It was… nice."

"That's surprising. I've never really done something like that before. Nice to hear that it wasn't bad." Hope seemed as if he was happy with what he done and interested in trying his new found skill out more. "So? Anywhere else?" Lightning could see that he was still somewhat eager. She let out a slight shrug of her shoulders. She sat back toward the opposite end of the couch from him. His eyes spotted her feet and thought that was a possible area he could try. Once his hand touched her foot, Lightning frowned. "Anything but that."

"Oh come on! I'll be careful."

She wanted to argue against it since any touching of her feet caused a ticklish sensation and the fact that she never showed her feet to anyone. "Don't."

"Why not?"

"Because…" She moved her feet away from him as she turned on her side. She hid them underneath the cushions. "I don't want you looking at my feet."

Hope grinned and gently pulled her feet back out. "Come on. I'm sure they're fine." Lightning sat up as he looked at them and began rubbing. "There's nothing wrong with them. You have nothing to be embarrassed about." Her lip poked out as her eyes drifted to the side and her arms were crossed. "I'm not embarrassed." she muttered. Hope laughed a little before he continued. As he worked, she began to relax. The ticklish feeling she felt subsided. She lied down on the couch as her feet were up on his lap. This time, she really had to wonder about who he was. The way he rubbed her feet felt amazing. The kind where you could just drift off without a care in the world. Who needed a professional when she had someone who could pass for one right in front of her? Hope glanced over to see the tranquil look on her face as her eyes were closed. "Wow! Someone must really like this." Instantly, Lightning opened her eyes and sat up. Her feet slipped from his legs. He was surprised that she moved away from him. "What?"

"So what? It's probably not that hard to do."

"Really?"

"Yes. I could do this." she told him confidently.

Hope smirked as he arched his eyebrow. That sounded like another challenge. "Then prove it."

"Fine. Then come here." She leaned forward but he leaned back as he held his hands up. "Oh no. You're not trying it out on me. You'll break something." Lightning moved and sat behind him. She placed her hands on his shoulders. Hope slipped from underneath her ready hands to the other side of the couch. "I told you you're not trying this on me."

"Don't be a baby. Come here." She went over to him but Hope grabbed her hands holding her back. The two struggled. She pressed as much of her weight as she could against him. It made him lie back on the couch. During their contest, Lightning's hands slipped from Hope's making her fall forward. Lucky for her, her hands landed on the cushions and stopped her from falling and almost landing on him. Her eyes opened more in surprise as she realized her face was only inches away from his. For a second, she had to analyze how exactly she was positioned over him. Hope returned the same surprised reaction. He could feel his body get nervous. His eyes caught a glimpse of the top of her chest from up close. Not staying there too long, his eyes lifted back to hers to see that she was already staring at him.

Quickly, she removed herself from off of him and sat with her legs crossed on the opposite side of the couch. Her fingers brushed aside her bangs that were in front of her eyes and straightened her hair over her shoulder as her eyes were away from him. Like his, her face beamed with red. In her mind all she could think of was how close she was to him and how she was pretty sure he got a good look at the inside of her shirt. To ease some of the tension, Hope sat up and spoke first. "Come on Light. You didn't have to attack me if you wanted to put your hands on me so bad." He held up his hands as he gave a small smirk. "Fine. You win." He turned his back toward her as a sign of surrender.

Lightning crossed her arms as she looked upset. "I wasn't attacking you. You wouldn't stay still." She turned toward him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Don't move."

"Whatever you say." For now, they felt like they could brush this incident aside…just like all the other incidents. "Hold on." Hope told her before she continued. He removed his shirt and tossed it on the arm of the couch. "It's only fair."

Lightning was taken back for a second before she started rubbing his back. "You can lie down if you want."

"Sounds good." Hope replied before he lied on his stomach. Now the problem was that she couldn't reach his back without standing up and there wasn't enough room for her to sit and him to lie at the same time on the couch. "Move." Hope wasn't sure what she meant but he just followed the push of her hand. Soon, he felt something pressing a little into his sides as a weight was on his lower back. When he looked back, he sat that Lightning was sitting on top of him. "Is this fine?"

"Sure. You're not heavy." He turned his head back as he relaxed. Lightning thought that it was the right answer he gave or she really would have to hurt him. Her hands ran along his back and rubbed against his skin. His reaction seemed peaceful and not in pain so she assumed that she was doing something right. Minutes later, Hope lifted his head and looked behind him. "It might be better if we move somewhere else."

She stopped what she was doing. "Where? Like the floor?"

"That's fine." Both of them stood up. Hope lied down on the floor on his back as Lightning kneeled down beside him. She was little surprised that he wanted her to stop doing his back and move on to his chest but she went along with it. Her hands started at his shoulders. As she was rubbing him, she felt uneasy at the fact that all he had to do was look up and her chest would be the first thing he saw instead of her face, but he kept his eyes closed. Her hands moved further along, exploring his chest and stomach. The longest that her hands had ever been on him. At the end, her hands ended up brushing against his belt signaling the end of how far she could go. She spent some time, caressing his lower stomach, letting her curiosity get to her. It was a hidden area that she never seen before. Soon, she took her hands away and started to stand. "All right."

Before she could fully stand, Hope grabbed onto her hand as he sat up on his elbows and smiled. "What? Done already?" With a pull of his hand, she ended up sitting on his stomach with both of her legs on the sides of his waist. "This is about as much time as you gave me."

"No way! I gave you longer."

Lightning sighed as she moved her bangs aside. "Anyway. I'm guess point proven. Anyone can do this."

Hope sat up completely, still keeping her on top of him. "I don't think that's true. Like I told before, you have soft hands." In his hand, he took hers and caressed the top of it with his thumb. She didn't understand where he was getting that from. "Compared to what?" Hope didn't answer but only smiled. Slightly, she shook her head and placed her hands on his shoulders. "All right. A few more minutes and that's it."

"That's all I ask." As she started working on his shoulders, his hand pressed against her back and rubbed along her shirt. His eyes traveled along the ground as his mind wandered. The way they were sitting and how close they were, were they signs that this could be pushed further? This time, his resistant wasn't as strong as it was days ago nor had they been all that night. Was it time to just give into his desires and see how far it would take him? He lifted his head and gazed up at Lightning. Would it reveal if she had any hidden feelings of her own? Words would only let her find a way to escape easily if he told her how he felt right then. Could it be that all he needed to do was make the first move? The possibilities were endless of what could happen but the bottom line was that she would either accept him or not. If she didn't, it might make things worse. If that was the case, would there be anything he could do to make it up to her later? Most of all, was he willing to take such a risk? By her reactions in the past, it gave him little doubt that she would turn away from him. Maybe once, he could let go of everything and let his body be the one to take control.

He put his head down as he let go of his nervousness. His hands continued to caress her back a few times before it traveled lower. Softly, his hands moved against her hips. When he lifted his eyes to see her reaction, he noticed that she jumped a bit once she felt his hands and her facial expression changed to a little nervous but still, she tried her best to frown. If she truly seemed upset by it, he could just apologize. No words came out of her but she could feel the heat rise in her cheeks. Not staying there long, his hands continued on to the side of her legs. Again, he tested her by bringing his hands back in the reverse direction going over her hips. Her reaction was a little different this time. At his touch, her body shivered. "What are you doing?"

There was no response with words but only his hands pressing her body forward against his. His face leaned toward her which made her blush more. This time, there would be no turning back and no interruptions to stop him. This had to be just right. He moved forward and pressed his lips against hers. Instantly, she closed her eyes and kissed him back. Her arms wrapped around his neck. All of her resistant toward him left from her once she felt him kiss her. His hands rubbed against her sides. Minutes into it, Lightning felt the need to pull away, not only because he was actually kissing her but she needed air. When she did, she opened her eyes surprised. She couldn't believe that he done that. "Hope?!"

By the surprised tone in her voice, Hope wondered if he did something wrong. "What?" His eyes searched hers as he tried to catch his breath as well. Lightning stared at him in silence before she moved in and kissed him again. Breath escaped from their bodies making it harder to breathe than before. While she was surprised that he made a move like that, she wasn't going to stop. A kiss like that felt incredible. As they continued, his tongue brushed against her bottom lip asking for entrance. Her lips parted more as she let him in and moved her tongue against his. It soon became a struggle for dominance but more than that, it was fun just to play around with each other. A muffled moan escaped from her lips. Harder, he grasped onto her lower back as things began to intense. Things inside of him were becoming harder to control. His hands moved from her sides and slipped further up her legs.

Suddenly, he felt his hands being grabbed, stopping him from moving any further. Hope separated from her as he opened his eyes. His body relaxed somewhat, thinking that he was moving too fast. As she sat there with him, a part of her debated about how far to go. This was the farthest she ever went with anyone and yet, she could feel that burning sensation inside of her to continue on. Maybe it was crazy. After all, this was the first time they were ever like this. In her mind, she told herself that things wouldn't have to go far but some boundaries could have been crossed. Even then, she had to wonder why she was letting him get this close. Yes she saw something in him different than anyone she ever met but was that enough? When things became too quiet between them, Hope thought that he pushed things too much. "Sorry." he whispered. "I-."

Suddenly, he felt her hands go to the sides of his neck. She pulled him back into another kiss. She wasn't ready to let this end just yet. His lips moved away from her and onto her neck. She closed her eyes as she breathed in. The sensation traveled like shockwaves through her body. Then, he lifted his head up to her as he stopped.

She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed him down onto the ground. The action caused a smirk to come to her face. It was fun to do so and be the one in control. It felt as if another side of her was awakened and was ready to come out. It wouldn't hurt to try it out for a few minutes. She leaned down toward him and connected her lips to his. Gently, she began biting and tugging onto his bottom lip, letting her tongue run along it. Once she let go of him, her eyes lifted up to his to see if he was enjoying what she was doing. In return, he gave her a smile. Her lips curved into a smirk visible for him to witness.

Now he could see that she was playing around with him. The smile that he had turned into a devious smirk like hers. He pulled her in close letting their lips meet again. Her hands traveled along her back and began rubbing against it. The shifting of his hands caused her shirt to rise up a little from her lower back. Soon, one stayed on her back as the other began to wander off lower with other intentions on mind. He began to caress her hips which caused her face to heat up and turn red. Suddenly, she felt him grab her which caused her body to rub against his. Hope let out a sigh as they parted and leaned his head back against the floor. Below his beltline, he was sure that caused a reaction from when she rubbed up against him.

Her lips moved along his jaw line onto his neck. She was curious to see his reaction when she put her lips to his skin. He closed his eyes as he turned his head aside to give her room. Her hand rubbed along the side of his chest. Again, he felt her body shifting against his which was starting to drive him crazy and arouse him more. She moved up toward his ear and began to bite on it softly and spread her tongue across. He sat up on his elbows causing her to stop. Her eyes searched his to see what he was up to next. "What?"

He shook his head as he sounded out of breath. "It's…nothing."

Lightning arched her eyebrow. She could tell that something was on his mind. "What?"

"It's just…Don't want to push things too far." Underneath her where she was sitting, she could feel that he firm and ready. Curiously, she shifted her body forward and back against him which caused him to close his eyes as he enjoyed the moment. She stopped once she clearly saw his reaction. After his mind and body calmed down, he sat up completely as there was a slight frown. "You can't tease me like that."

"What's wrong? Can't handle something like that?" Lightning waved her hand, thinking that he was making a big deal over nothing. "Oh calm down. You'll be fine."

At first, Hope was upset by her comment but then calmed himself once he figured out how he could turn it around on her. He moved over and sat with his back leaning against the front of the couch. Lightning followed along still continuing to sit on top of him. With his hands, he took hers as he leaned in toward her. His lips met with hers again. His hands slid against her back but then moved to her chest. Outside of her shirt, he grasped onto her bosoms. Gently, he caressed over them causing a pleasurable sensation to flow throughout her body. A moan escaped from her lips but then she grabbed his hands and pulled them away as she broke away from their kiss. Her face was colored with red over what he had done. A slight smirk came on his face. "It's not so funny when it's the other way around."

In response, she frowned even though her body wanted him to continue. He searched her, trying to read her facial expression. Even he could see that she was torn with what she should let him do. Something told him he should stop. Finally, he pulled away before getting too caught in. However, before he got a chance to relax, he felt her lips reconnect to his. As they continued, their kiss began to intense as their minds faded into the background.

"Lightning?" Quickly, Lightning separated from him, breaking their kiss and pulling his hands away as she heard the familiar call. She lifted her head to spot Serah head over toward the couch with a tired look and rubbing her eyes. From the looks of it, she couldn't tell what was going on. "Serah? What are you doing up?"

Serah stopped behind the couch. Her expression changed into worry. Instantly, Lightning noticed. "I was going to get some water and to see if you were still awake. I couldn't sleep."

Lightning became concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare. It was really bad."

"All right. Let's go. You can tell me about it in the kitchen." Serah nodded and walked toward the kitchen. Lightning watched before she turned her attention to Hope. With what just happened, this wouldn't be something that they could just let go. It would have to come up between them eventually or the same thing could end up happening again. "I…better go."

"Yeah. I understand." To him, it felt as if it happened so fast. One minute, they were having a little argument followed by a kiss and the next thing he knew, they were sitting like this having built more tension between both of them in more ways than one way. Hope snapped out of his thoughts once he felt Lightning lift up from him. He wanted to say something but he wasn't sure what he could say. After what happened, where did they stand? When he looked over, he saw that her back was turned away from him. Now wasn't the time to talk about what happened between them. Quietly, he stood up without her noticing and headed back toward his room.

Lightning kept her eyes closed as she started to relax. She headed into kitchen where she poured water into a glass. Her eyes scanned the room for Hope but it seemed that he was already gone. After listening and helping Serah get back to sleep, she stood in the kitchen alone to reflect on what happened earlier. She held onto her arms against her stomach. Her eyes stared down toward the floor. The way she was with him, it was the first time that she had ever been with anyone in that way or how her body reacted to him. Where would that lead them now? Back then, she lost control over her body and mind. She placed her hand to her face as she closed her eyes. Now, things would never be the same between them again.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter. I hoped that you liked it. As always, let me know what you think. If you're interested, don't forget to stop by the forum. _


	8. Working Things Out

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thanks to everyone for reading, sending in reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts. I appreciate all the responses I've been getting. I'm surprised at how many times I seen the word "hot". Glad to hear it!  
_

_I will still continue to update weekly. I'm trying to get better about updating and not updating like once or twice a month like I used to or who knows when. There is still a lot more of the story to get in to.  
_

_For one of the questions I received, in this story I used Hope's age of 24 and kept Lightning's age of 21. As for Fang, I just used the age she was as far as the game like before she got crystallized in FF13. I don't know how old she is but I just image her as the way you always see her.  
_

* * *

_Chapter 8: Working Things Out:_

Throughout the next day, things continued on as usual except for the awkwardness that was in the air. Between Lightning and Hope, there was the occasional shifting of eyes on each other as they passed by in the house but mostly they kept their eyes turned away. Very few words were exchanged and only spoken when needed. What happened the night before was still clear in their minds.

Later that night, Lightning sat beside Fang at the local bar. This time when Fang asked, Lightning accepted her offer of going out with her. She thought she could use the time away from home to sort things out. Suddenly, she felt something nudge her elbow, making her leave her thoughts. Lightning looked over curious to see Fang smirk as she took a sip of her drink. "What's going on? First, you actually accept my offer of coming out with me. Now you're keeping quiet. Well…more quiet than usually. Relax! Have a drink!"

"Remember I can't stay out too late. I still have to drop Serah and Vanille off at school early in the morning."

"Right! Right! They're going on that trip." Lightning took the shot glass that she had in front of her and drunk it all in one swallow as she threw her head back. Fang grinned as she was amazed. "Wow! Usually when you take a shot like that something's bothering you. Wanna tell me what it is?"

Lightning placed her glass back on the table. "Not really."

Fang sighed as she closed her eyes, hoping to hear something interesting. "Fine... Hey!" She raised her hand and caught the attention of the bartender. "Another one for me and my friend over here." Afterwards, she turned back to Lightning. "Seriously! You're not going to tell me what's wrong?" Lightning's eyes drifted toward the side until she saw another shot glass placed in front of her. "It's not good to hold it in you know. Maybe I can help or maybe the alcohol will help you loosen up some." Lightning placed her glass back to her lips and drunk again. Fang arched her eyebrow as she watched her. "Hitting those kind of hard aren't you?"

Afterwards, Lightning put her glass back on the table as her eyes lowered. "You were right."

A surprised look came across Fang's face. She wasn't sure if she heard her correctly. Then, her lips curved back into a smile. "I don't think I heard that right. Did you actually say I was right?" Lightning leaned her head on her hand. Since she didn't answer, Fang continued on hoping that she wouldn't change her mind about explaining what happened. "And what was I right about this time?"

Lightning's eyes traveled off to the side. "You're not right about everything." she muttered.

"What happened?" Lightning was unsure about telling her, and she still hadn't decided on what to do about the situation herself. Fang nudged her again with her elbow. "Come on! Don't keep me in suspense."

Lightning closed her eyes. For once, she actually thought about telling her. Then again, only telling her would prove that she was right and she would never hear the end of it. "I don't know."

A groan escaped from Fang. "Come on! I never hear anything interesting these days."

Lightning arched her eyebrow. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's still boring. I would tell you."

"I know you would." The bartender came over and handed Lightning another glass. "All right but if I tell you, no jokes and no smart comments especially saying that you were right."

Fang sat ready, getting very interested. "Fine! You won't hear a peep out of me."

Lightning's eyes drifted toward the side but finally, she let it out into the open explaining everything that happened last night. Once Fang heard it all, her eyes widened and she busted out into laughter. A frown came across Lightning's lips. "You said that you wouldn't say anything."

Fang placed her hand to her head as she kept laughing. She couldn't believe it. She didn't expect either one of them to make a move right after she left their house. "I'm not! I'm just laughing." At that moment, Lightning groaned, starting to regret telling her. Fang grinned as she looked at her. "Can I ask one thing though?"

"What?" Lightning asked curiously.

"How was it? Did you like it?"

Lightning looked toward the table as she thought back. "Yeah."

The response brought a smile to Fang's face. After all this time, she finally admitted that she felt something for him. "I knew you liked him but I didn't think it was that much."

Lightning picked up her glass off of the table, letting the liquid inside swirl around. "Now I'm going to have to do what you said and kick him out."

Fang grinned. She thought that she was overreacting about the situation. "Just work it out. You'll be fine."

"I don't need this." Lightning stared down at the wooden table. She told her that she wasn't looking for a relationship or to deal with anything that came along with it. She was already set on what she wanted to focus on in her life.

Fang could see how uneasy she seemed. "You might not but it couldn't hurt to at least try it out." After Lightning listened, she thought about how she felt and came to the conclusion that Fang was right. It couldn't hurt to try but at the same time it could. "Hey! Better to have love than lost. Isn't that what they say?" Lightning kept her eyes down. Maybe it was something else to think about.

As the night continued to pass, Fang glanced toward the door to see a familiar face step in. Instantly, she smiled and waved her hand. "Hey! Over here! Looks like you found the place well."

Lightning was staring toward her glass as her index finger was circling around the rim. Once she heard Fang yelling, she looked over to see who she was talking to. As soon as she turned her head, her eyes widened in surprised. There he was smiling right back at her. Even in reality, he knew how to haunt her more than in just her thoughts. "Hope? What are you doing here?"

He stepped over next to her and leaned against the counter. "Fang called and said that you might need some help getting back home."

Lightning's eyes darted over toward Fang who just smiled. "What? Hey! It was the right thing to do. You had more than a few drinks." Despite her excuse, Lightning knew the real reason why Fang called Hope down there. Why did she have to tell her about what happened between them? "Don't just stand there. Take a seat." Fang told Hope. He sat down beside Lightning who was still somewhat nervous about being around him. "How about that drink now?"

"I'll take a water." That wasn't Fang's exact idea for him to drink but she had a way of changing his mind. "Hey!" she called out to the bartender, but he didn't respond as he was attending to other people. Fang stood up as she slammed her fist against the table. "Hey! We need some drinks over here!" Hope felt uneasy at how loud she was shouting across the bar. When he looked over at Lightning, she still seemed calm as if it didn't bother her. Fang left the two alone as she went to the other side to catch the bartender. Lightning knew leaving the two of them alone was going to result in them having to talk about last night. Hope glanced between her and the table. "So? I take it you two have been here a lot?"

Lightning shrugged. "Whenever she drags me out of the house. What about Serah and Vanille? Aren't they at my house alone?"

"Yes but last I checked they were sleeping so…"

"We should probably head back soon. I still need to get up early in the morning."

"Hmm…" His eyes drifted toward the side. He was trying to think of how to say what was on his mind. Soon, his eyes turned to her. "Light? I was wondering if we could talk…" He placed his hand on top of her leg.

Lightning lifted her eyes up to him. "Yeah…We probably should." She rotated more toward him. "Hope…I think that we-."

"Here we go!" When they looked over, they saw Fang placed down shot glasses in front of all of them. Hope looked at the clear liquid that was in his glass, curious. The color made it seem like water but the smell implied otherwise. "What's…this?"

"It's definitely not water." Lightning told him.

Fang sat back in her seat as she held up her glass. "Just try it. At least one."

Lightning's eyes traveled over toward Fang. "Trying to get someone else to be an alcoholic?"

Fang smiled. "He'll be fine. At the same time, everyone drink. One. Two." Hope wasn't sure but he picked up his glass anyway like Lightning and Fang did. "Three." On three, all of them drunk. Instantly, Hope put his glass down as he closed his eyes tight. He could taste the bitter substance on his tongue. He began cough while resisting the urge to spit out as much as he could out of his mouth. Lightning noticed his reaction. Neither one of the women flinched after they drunk. "Might have given him something too strong Fang."

Hope shook his head as he gave a look of disgust. "This is horrible and it burns."

Lightning could understand how he felt. "You'll get use to it if you drink enough. You probably shouldn't have drunk that all at once."

"Oh he's fine!" Fang slid another glass toward him. "Just try again or maybe we should probably mix it in with something else."

Hope looked at it, not wanting to try it again. Lightning could see his hesitation to even pick up the glass. "If you don't try it, she'll drink it."

Fang smiled, assuring him it was okay. "Don't worry! It gets better."

Listening to her, Hope grabbed onto the glass. He closed his eyes before he drunk it as he threw his head back. Afterwards, he shook his head as he closed his eyes tighter. It didn't get better. It was still very bitter. "I think I'll try something else to get rid of this taste."

An idea came to Fang's mind. "I know just the thing." She held up her hand and ordered three more drinks for each of them. This time, it was pink liquid in a martini glass with a two olives on a toothpick. Hope observed it before he tried it. "It's not bad. There's still a weird after taste. What's in it?"

Fang held up her glass to her lips. "You don't want to know."

After spending some time at the bar, Lightning decided that it was time for them to go so Hope and her left to return back to her house. Fang stayed behind at the bar. She smiled as she watched the two walk off. "Hopefully now that will get things going."

* * *

Lightning and Hope stepped into her house and she closed the door behind her. "You're sure you're okay?" She was a little concerned as to how much he drunk tonight.

Hope smiled. His face was a little red but other than that, he felt okay. "Yes."

She placed her hand on her hip, looking for any sign that said otherwise. "Just making sure since this is your first time drinking with us."

"It didn't seem like you needed walking back."

"I would have been fine. You get used to drinking with Fang like that. I was like you when she pulled me into something like this." Lightning went into the kitchen and headed over to the fridge. Hope followed behind and leaned against the counter. She handed him a bottle of water. "Here."

He took it from her hand and smiled to let her know it wasn't necessary. "I told you I'm fine."

"There was something strong in those shots you drunk." She grabbed a bottle of water for herself and leaned against the counter beside him. The two stood in silence for a short time before Hope thought of something they started talking about from earlier. He was still a little nervous to ask but not as much as before. "So? I think that there is something we started talking about earlier."

Lightning glanced over at him before she looked forward. The time had come to discuss what they've been putting off. What better time than now when things were quiet and they were alone? "Right…we still need to talk about what happened."

Hope looked uneasy as he wasn't sure what she thought about last night. "I guess I was wondering if…I went too far or what you thought about it."

Things were certainly different for her at first but over the time they spent together, she felt as she gotten more used to it. "No. It was all right." Their eyes traveled to each other. Hope was surprised that she said so. Now they were getting somewhere. "So? Was it all right? What I did?"

Lightning crossed her arms as she sighed. "Sometimes I wonder about you…" She leaned off of the counter as stepped forward.

He looked curious. "What?"

"It seems like you always know what to do with your hands." Once she heard herself say it out loud, she looked nervous and turned back to him. Those words sounded better in her head. Right away, she became reminded of what he did last night. Thinking about it, she decided to change what she really meant. "I meant with how you were helping out."

Hope laughed a little as he closed his eyes. Regardless of her trying to take back what she said, he knew where she was getting at. "I'll take that as a compliment. Still…I know what I did was because…I really…" He relaxed as he tried to get the words out he wanted to say. "I really like you a lot."

Lightning looked surprised as she blushed. She figured either her face was heating up because of what he said or what he said mixed with the alcohol. "Okay…"

Hope leaned up and stepped toward her. "How do you feel? You know…about…me?"

She looked at him as she thought about it. Already she knew the answer but it was just a matter of how far she wanted things to go between them. "Well I…" She breathed in. "I like you too."

Instantly, his lips curved into a smile. "You mean like as in he's a good guy friend or like as in you really like me as in like me like me."

"I like like you. A lot." His smile grew bigger once he heard her. It even made her smile for a short time. She leaned again against the counter as she crossed her arms. "So now we just need to figure out what we should do from here."

"What did you have in mind?"

"We just need to do something." As he was silent and staring at her, an idea came to mind. He moved in toward her and pressed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes as she kissed him back. For minutes, they stood in the kitchen alone as the kiss between them continued to intense. Her body became pressed between him and the counter. He lifted her body up onto the counter and continued to kiss from there. Minutes later, she placed her hands against his chest. It was hard to push him away at first but she managed to create a little bit of distance between them. She held her head down after breaking away from their heated kiss. That wasn't enough to stop him. He continued to pursue her. His lips moved over to the side of her neck. Breath proceeded to escape from her body as she had her eyes closed. "Wait…" For a few more seconds, she turned quiet as she was enjoying the feeling that he was giving. "Hold on." He listened and stepped away. She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Not tonight. I still have to get up early to drop the girls off remember?"

He nodded. "Right."

"We should probably figure out something else to do. Not just that." There were no complaints from her side but there had to be more to their relationship than just heated make out sessions.

His eyes turned to the side as he started thinking. Then, he looked at her as he grabbed her hands. "I know! Will you go out on a date with me?"

Lightning thought that was one idea. Usually, she didn't go out with anyone and her dates didn't work out. Still, she did share a fondness toward him and they did need to figure out where they should go from where they are now. Patiently, he waited for her answer. Her eyes lifted up to his. "Sure."

Hope let out a smile as he breathed out a sigh of relief. The silent almost made him think that she would change her mind. "All right. When?"

"Well…No one will be here tomorrow but that night I'll have to pick Serah up from her field trip."

"Then we'll do it before you have to go."

"That sounds fine." Lightning slid off of the counter and landed on her feet in front of him. Her hand traveled over to his arm. Her lips curved into a smile. "To answer your question, I did like what happen last night just like what happened just now." With that, she headed toward her room, leaving him something to be happy about. Suddenly, she felt her arm being grabbed. When she turned around, she felt her lips being met with his. Softly, he kissed her and then parted as he opened his eyes to hers. His lips curved into a small smile. "Good night."

Lightning returned the smile. "Good night Hope." Slowly, her hand slipped out of his. He wasn't ready to let her go but he would have time to see her tomorrow night. He watched until she disappeared out of sight into the hallway. Hope leaned against the counter as he looked toward the floor. That moment was the happiest he felt in a long time. At first, he wasn't sure, but now he thought that maybe things would be okay if he pursued a relationship with her despite the things in his past.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! I hoped that you liked it. __Slowly, I have been approaching the mystery behind Hope but I think you'll find in the upcoming chapters that more of that mystery will be revealed ;)_

_As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update soon. Thanks for reading!  
_


	9. The First Date

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thanks for reading, adding this to your favorites and alerts, and sending in reviews! I hope that you will enjoy the next chapter!  
_

* * *

_Chapter 9: The First Date:_

Lightning stepped out of her room to see the house dimly lit with none of the lights on. Instead, she saw an orange glow coming from what seemed like the kitchen. Before she could step in, her vision became dark. Over her eyes was a pair of hands. "You can't go in yet." she heard a voice behind her say.

Lightning turned her head slightly back toward the voice. "So? I'm not allowed to go into my own kitchen now?"

Behind her, his lips curved into a smile. "No. Don't worry. It'll be worth it."

"It better be." Lightning felt herself turned back around and led back to her room. Hope released his hands from over her. When she looked at him, she saw him smiling. Instead of questioning what he was up to, she just went back to her room and waited until he came to get her.

Minutes later, she stepped back out with his hands covered over her eyes again. A few feet away, she came to a stop and soon, he lifted his hands from over her eyes. When she opened them, she saw that the table was covered with a cloth and set with plates already prepared with food. There were candles lit in the middle of the table. It was a nice surprise and the first time that anyone had done that for her rather than taking her out to a restaurant. At least while she was home, she could dress casual but nice without having to get too formal about it and no pain wearing shoes. Overall, it was a place where she could relax however she wanted so that was a plus. So far, he was doing well.

Hope pulled out a chair for her to sit in. She accepted his offer and sat down at the table. He sat in a chair that was close to hers. Her eyes looked around at the dinner table again. "This is…nice."

He was glad that she brought it up. That already answered the question that was on his mind. "Thank you. I hope that you will like it." The two exchanged glances while they were eating their food. It was a little awkward between them considering it was their first date. Hope began the conversation off first. "So? Where did Serah go on her trip?"

"They were supposed to go see some sights outside of New Bodhum and visit some places."

"Oh! That sounds fun. So? If you don't mind me asking, how long have you and Serah been living on your own?"

Lightning's eyes traveled down toward the table. Weeks ago when they just met, she was on edge about telling him when he asked something similar before, but now she felt it was okay. "I don't mind. When Serah was really young, our mother died. She could barely remember her. After that, it was just us and our dad. I had to spend a lot of time looking out for her since our father was in the military and he had to leave sometimes. Then, he died a few years ago. By that time, I already joined the military so I could take care of Serah on my own. It's been us ever since then."

Hope figured that had to be hard on her. He gave a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She felt that there was no need for him to be. It was a part of life that happens. Ever since then, she felt that she became stronger from it.

"Did you join the military because of him?" he asked curiously.

"You could say that. He was happy when I joined. Now I've taken his place on the council that the military has. Certain people on there think that I only got to be on there because of him. Because of my last name and the credit that he carried with that name."

Hope let out a smile, confident. "I'm sure that's not it."

"How would you know?" Never before had he seen her participate in military duties or training. She didn't want him to just say that to be nice.

"Because I've gotten to know you and I know that you're a very strong person that can hold it together. The way you order people around and scare them is enough to get them in line so I believe you have a right to hold that position. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Her lips curved into a smile as she closed her eyes. She found it amusing at the part where he said how she ordered people around and scared them. Still, even if he never saw her in action before, his answer was believable. "I can understand where you're coming from a little as far as parents."

Lightning opened her eyes curious. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not trying to say that I've been in your shoes, but I think I know a little of what you're going through. When I was fourteen, my mother died."

She gave a look of concern. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. It's taken a long time to get over it. I was upset with the person that she got in the accident with, but now I know that it was just an accident and I let my anger with that go. As for my dad, for the longest time I've been angry with him. We weren't getting along when my mother was alive. He wasn't one to listen to me, and he was constantly working even after her accident but still, he was the one who got me into science and I ended up taking his place over the group that he takes over. At first I wasn't sure, but I actually like working in the field that he did. Is that the same with you?"

"One of the reasons I ended up in the military was because of my dad. There are some things that are okay with it." She took another bite of her food. "So? Have you been living by yourself long?"

"For a while. Why?" he asked.

"I don't know a lot of guys who know how to cook."

A grin appeared on his lips. "Got to learn how to survive somehow."

She arched her eyebrow, interested. "So? No girls to take care of you?"

Hope became curious to her question. "What are you really trying to ask?"

Lightning decided to get to the point. "Had any girlfriends?"

Uneasy, his eyes drifted off to the side. That was something he wasn't ready to talk about yet, but eventually he felt he would need to. "Not... I…" his voice began to fade off.

She looked suspicious as to why he stopped. Regardless, she didn't believe that he never had one for a second. "Yeah right."

"Why would that be so hard to believe?" Lightning took a moment to think of why. It wasn't hard to come up with a few reasons. Hope spoke first before she could ask anymore about it. "And what about you?"

She wondered why he turned the question around on her. "What about me?"

"There's no way you haven't."

She was a little surprised by his comment. He seemed so sure. "And why is that?"

"Well…what isn't there to like about you?"

Lightning turned her attention back to her plate. "You haven't known me very long have you?"

"What? You mean the way that you tell people what to do or how you do your own thing or how honest and straightforward you are? I like that about you."

Her eyes lifted to his, a little surprised. Then, she got back to the subject at hand. "Well…I've been on a few dates but they didn't work out."

"And…?" he tried to push her along.

She rolled her eyes. "And maybe once I had a boyfriend in high school but it didn't work out. My dad didn't like him. Shortly after, I didn't have time for stuff like that because I joined the military and started taking care of Serah."

"I see. So no rebellions telling your dad that you wanted to see him again?"

"I didn't like the guy that much."

An interested grin appeared on his lips. "So? What do you think your dad would have thought of me if he knew?"

"Hmm… Well you are scientist who knows a lot about technology and you can fix weapons. Learn how to shoot then you might actually be in business."

"And what if I knew how to shoot a little?"

"Then I think that he would have."

"That's good to know."

A slight frown came to her lips. "Which means that I wouldn't."

Hope moaned in disappointment as he put his head down on the table. The way he reacted caused a grin to come to her face. His playful, disappointed expression along with the sound he made of his hand hitting the table instead of his head she thought was funny. When he lifted his head, he caught her smile. It made him happy as well. He sat up straight in his chair. "You smiled." Lightning remained silent as she kept her smile on. She turned her head somewhat hiding it. Hope tilted his head to see her face better. "I'm glad." Soon, her eyes turned to him. "It is beautiful you know."

With her hand, she pushed him lightly against his arm. Quietly, he laughed. She grabbed onto her hand that was in her lap. "So what was it that…made you like me anyway?"

"Well… I like that you work hard to take care of your sister and you're kind. I like being around you. There are times that I have fun when you're having fun back. You're different because you don't let people turn who you are but you always stay yourself." He placed his hand on top of hers. "Plus, you're beautiful, you're smart, and you're strong."

Lightning remained silent as she listened to him. She was surprised but touched by his words. "And what is it that you find me… I guess how you said…?"

Hope leaned forward, curiously. "Which one?"

"You know…" It was a little bit of a struggle to get the words out. "You said that I was-." Her eyes glanced down toward the ground. "You said that you like how I look."

"I meant what I said Light." He moved his chair closer to her as he got ready to explain his reasons why. "I like everything about you." His hands reached up and touched the strands of her pink hair that went over her shoulder. "The way your hair looks whether it's like this or how it looks when it gets a little messy in the morning." His eyes moved over to her face. "Your eyes, the way you smile and laugh, and everything else from top to bottom even your feet."

"So you don't find one thing wrong with me?"

He leaned in close to her face as his eyes searched around. "Well there is that one thing-." Instantly, he saw her reaction change to upset which made him laugh. "I'm kidding! I really am." Lightning relaxed once she heard him joking. "I like you just the way you are. I wouldn't lie to you about that." After that, he moved in close and softly kissed her full pink lips. It was a kiss different from his other kisses he had given her but she liked it just the same. Soon, they parted inches away from each other and opened their eyes. Her lips curved into a smile while his curved into a smirk. "I could tell you in detail what else I like."

Lightning closed her eyes as she sat up straight. "I think I get it now."

"Another time then. So? You haven't told me what you like about me." he said with a sly smirk.

She leaned her head on her hand as an idea came to mind. "Tell you what. Massage me like you did the other day and I'll tell you what you want to know."

Hope let out a groan. "That's not fair! I told you what I liked about you."

"Yeah but you could have put some sort of condition on it too."

"Probably not. That would have ruined the date."

"Yeah but this might make it better."

A smirk crossed over his lips as he was curious. "You really want to end up like we did the day before yesterday?"

"It doesn't have to go that far as long you keep your hands where they're supposed to be."

"Hey! You started it." he tried to point out.

Lightning was a little surprised by his accusation. "And how did I start it?"

"You had to prove that you were good with your hands too."

"Yeah but who kissed who first?" she questioned him. Hope wanted to say something but found himself caught. There was no way that he could prove otherwise. His eyes drifted off to the side as he turned silent. Lightning sat back in her chair as she crossed her arms. "Don't want to answer that now?"

"You could have stopped me."

"And now why would I do that?"

Hope shrugged his shoulders. "I guess not. You were really getting into it the other day."

For now, she wasn't going to argue with that. "You're a know it all and…" Her eyes traveled over to him. "And that's what I kind of like about you."

He arched his eyebrow at her words. "Kind of?"

Lightning stood up from her chair. "You're very useful especially around here ever since I met you."

"Wow! Thanks." he replied sarcastically.

She took his hand and led him to the couch in the living room. She made him sit down first and followed by sitting between his legs. Since no was around but the two of them, she thought it would be all right to sit with him the way she did. It wasn't as if she hadn't before. A smirk came upon his lips. He leaned in to kiss her but playfully, she pulled away and pointed toward her back. She knew how to tease too.

Hope sighed with his eyes closed. Lightning turned around with her back toward him. His hand slipped underneath her shirt and began rubbing against her skin. She closed her eyes as she started to relax. Since he carried through on his word, she could carry through on hers. "I thought that you were smart because of how much you helped Serah and other things you knew about. You started helping around the house more and I appreciated that. I like you because… well…" At first, she wasn't sure if she should admit how she felt, but she wanted to be honest just as he had been with her. "I have fun when you're around too. It seems like we don't run out of things to say to each other."

"Sometimes you do." Hope told her partly joking, but a part of it was true.

Lightning turned back as much as she could and flicked him in the forehead. "You want me to tell you or not?"

"Fine." he moaned.

She turned back forward and closed her eyes. In her mind, she thought about how he was different from other people she met. "There are other things we can say to each other more than just what I do. We can talk about stuff even if it was pointless and it wouldn't get boring. I feel like you're the kind of person who would actually listen and remember what I said. You don't treat me differently like some people. You've been nice in everything you've done. Not just for me but what you've done for my family and my friends."

Hope leaned over, looking toward her face. "Wait! So you have friends? I thought you said that-."

Lightning flashed a glare back at him. "If you ever tell Fang, I'll never hear the end of it and that will result in me having to hurt you."

He settled back against the couch. "You don't have to be mean about it you know." he muttered.

Her eyes drifted toward the ground. "I guess I…I just feel…sort of different when I'm around you." she let out uneasy. She wasn't really one for expressing her feelings out loud. Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her waist and something press against her back. Hope leaned his head against her as he closed his eyes. "I feel…the same way around you too."

Lightning frowned. Now it was getting too cutesy for her. "All right. All right. Get off me." Hope listened and leaned back against the couch. Slightly, she shook her head. "I'm not doing this again. Next time you ask, figure it out for yourself."

Gently, he smiled. "I actually like it when you're like this. When you're more open with me. So… you shouldn't hold anything back you know."

Lightning glanced back at him before she turned her head and sighed. With those words, she felt more at ease about talking to him. Things turned silent between them as Hope continued rubbing her back. "Your hands are like some kind of weird magic."

He wanted to laugh at her strange comment but was curious as to what she meant by that. "Okay…? How so?"

"Anything you do with them turns out good and I like that. You can cook, you can fix stuff, and I didn't think that massages felt this good."

"Just stuff I learned along the way and others just lucky I guess."

Lightning lifted her eyes over to her clock on the wall. "Still got some time before I have to go."

Hope wrapped her arms around her waist. "Our food is probably getting cold. Let's finish that and I have something else for you." With new found interest, she looked back at him. Seeing that it caught her attention made his lips curve up into a smile. Lightly, the tips of his fingers turned her head more toward him. He placed a kiss on her lips before they headed back into the kitchen. They both sat back in their seats where their plates were. After they were settled in, she looked over at him. "One more thing."

Hope lifted his head, curious. "What?"

A smile appeared on her lips at her next statement. "You're cute too." She didn't forget what he said about her earlier and thought it was okay to say what she thought of him as well. He became more interested and sat closer to her. "So? Tell me how I am." Lightning sighed as her smile disappeared. Maybe she should have saved it for another time. Then again, there was something else she could get out of it. "If I tell you, then you'll have to do my feet as well."

Hope sighed as he closed his eyes. "Now I'm starting to think that you only want me for my hands."

After they were finished with dinner, Hope pulled out his surprise of dessert that he hoped that she would like. When they were done eating together, Lightning glanced over at her clock again. "It's still earlier."

"What? Thinking about calling the date off so soon?"

She looked curious. "What else did you have in mind?"

Hope didn't really have anything planned beyond that point of dinner. The idea came to him that they could sit and watch something but then thought that it might be boring to do so. Instead, another idea came to mind. He looked toward the door. "Want to walk with me?"

"Sure." After she grabbed a short sleeved jacket, she followed Hope outside. He thought that since they were on a beach, why not do what some people say they like to do and walk on it? As they walked, his eyes traveled out over the ocean. There he could see the moonlight reflecting over the water. Mostly, there were a few adults out with even fewer children. He placed his hands in the pockets of his pants. "It's funny. I've been out here but I haven't really just walked around."

"It's nothing really."

"I think that it's nice." Soon, silence crept in between them. He didn't want things to go boring between them already. A playful smile came to his lips as he nudged her aside with his elbow. When she looked over, Hope had his head lifted up and toward the side as if he had done nothing. A small frown tugged at her lips. "You're not funny."

"I don't know what you're talking about." he told her innocently.

"Hmm…" Lightning looked forward, letting it go for now. That was until she felt herself being pushed aside again. Quickly, she turned her head to see Hope snickering. When he opened his eyes, he saw her standing in front of him with her arms crossed annoyed. He was glad that he stopped in time before he ran into her. "What? What did I do this time?"

"You're not sneaky."

He leaned forward. "Who said I was trying to?" As he turned around, he bumped against her making her move aside. She blinked but then looked over to see Hope walking away. Lightning frowned and ran after him. He glanced back to see her coming after him and took off. She was faster than he expected. He stopped by the water and turned around. He managed to catch her hands before she could push him. The two struggled a little. His feet stepped back into the water as she continued pushing forward. Lightning gained an edge over him and pushed him harder. He looked back realizing that he was about to fall into the water. Before he fell, his hands grabbed onto hers and pulled her down with him. Both of them let out a yell as together they hit the water and caused a big splash.

Quickly, Lightning sat up as she opened her eyes shocked. Covered with water, she stood up and headed toward the shore. She reached into her pocket to check and see if her phone still worked. Hope sat up not too long after her and looked surprised. He stood up and walked over toward her. "Great…" he could hear her mutter from nearby. She turned around to see him standing behind her. "Look what you did now."

"Me? You were the one who pushed me in."

Lightning stepped forward which made him step back. "But you stepped into the water and you were the one who grabbed me. Now we're both wet."

"Still it wasn't my fault."

Lightning frowned but knew what was done was done. There was no use getting completely upset over it anyway. Instead, she had another idea to get back at him. She crossed her arms as she began to walk forward. The upset look on her face eased. "So? You say it's my fault?" Her finger poked him in his chest, making him step back once more. "Yes. If you didn't-." She pressed her hand against his chest and went in closer leaving no space between them. "Really?" Her hand slid to the back his neck as her face moved in toward his. Temporary, this made him stop what he was saying to see what she was up to. "Well…" she urged him on. Still, he didn't answer. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Passionately, she kissed him which made his mind clear and only wanting to give into her more. While he was distracted, she walked forward as he walked backwards. Inches away from his face, she parted from him and smiled as she gazed into his eyes to show that she wasn't mad at him anymore. "I will say one thing." Clearly, she could see the smile on Hope's face. "And what's that?"

Lightning smiled a few more seconds before she thrust him back into the water. Rapidly, he sat back up. He waved the water away from his face before he looked up at her. He was upset with what she did just now. She placed her hands on her sides. "Now that time was my fault."

"What was that for?!"

She turned around and began walking away. He wasn't going to let her get away with that. He stood and paced faster to catch up with her. Soon, he stopped in front of her. Lightning crossed her arms as she looked up at him. "What now?" He bent down and picked her up, putting her over his shoulder. She was surprised that he done so. "What are you doing? Put me down." Hope headed back into the water. She started to get more upset. "Hope. I'm not kidding. Put me down now or else."

A faint, devious smirk appeared on his lips. "You really want me to put you down?"

"Yes!" Hope dropped her a little more over his shoulder but then caught onto her legs before she could fall into the water. At first, it made her on edge but then looked upset. "Don't you dare drop me." He put her back down feet first. She crossed her arms as she still displayed her irritation with him. He extended his hand out to her. "Let's just call it truce, but it was you who pushed me into the water first and I just dragged you along." She sighed with her eyes closed and took his hand. Hope smiled. "We shouldn't fight but only enjoy tonight."

"I guess you're right." Afterwards, they both sat on the ground with her sitting in between his legs. His arms were wrapped around her as they were gazing between the ocean and night sky. The water that rolled up on the shore had softly brushed against their feet. Soon, Lightning opened her eyes and lifted up from him. She flipped open her phone. "At least it still works somewhat. I better go."

"You want me to go with you?"

She looked back at him. "If you want."

Both of them stood up and started walking. He noticed that both of their clothes were still wet. "You sure you don't want to go home and change first?"

"It isn't that far away so it'll be fine."

Hope glanced over at Lightning to see that she was staring ahead. There was something he wanted to try but he wasn't sure how she would feel about it. Taking a chance, he reached over beside him and grabbed her hand. Instead of taking her hand away, she intertwined her fingers with his. She wasn't one for showing public affection, but it night and there weren't a lot of people around so it wouldn't hurt to try it once. At the same time, they looked over at each other. He smiled at her which in response, she smiled back. In silence, they walked just enjoying each other's company until they made it to Serah's school.

Nearby, there was a woman along with a few other kids who were waiting for their parents to pick them up. Serah looked over and saw her sister approaching with Hope. At first, she smiled until her eyes traveled down to see them holding hands together. The smile on her face faded as she wondered what was going on between them. Lightning walked ahead, letting go of his hand and went over to Serah. "Hey. Ready to go?"

Serah smiled as she nodded. "Yeah." Afterwards, a confused expression came on her face as she noticed something strange. "Why are you wet?"

Hope stepped over beside them as he had his hands in his pockets. A grin appeared on his lips. "Your sister tried to drown me in the ocean but it didn't work. I escaped."

Lightning crossed her arms as she looked at him. "There's always next time."

Serah closed her eyes as she laughed a little. "Ms. Farron?" Lightning turned her head toward the voice that called her and saw the woman waiting around with the children head over toward her. Lightning walked off to meet with her halfway, leaving Hope and Serah behind. Serah was curious as to what was going on. "I wonder what she wants to talk to Lightning about."

"Who is she?"

"That's my teacher that I was telling you about. The one who gives out all the hard homework."

"Oh!" Hope replied in surprise.

The teacher in front of Lightning let out a smile. "I wanted to talk to you about Serah."

Lightning crossed her arms as she looked serious but somewhat concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all. I just wanted to say that she's been doing really well in my class. I was just curious as to what she was doing. She even knows some things I haven't exactly taught myself. I thought that maybe she could help the other students. Has she been increasing her study time?"

"Not exactly."

A look of interest struck across her. "What then? I would love to hear how."

Lightning's eyes traveled over to Hope and Serah. Hope caught onto where she was looking and saw her hand wave, signaling for him to come over. He was surprised but walked over and went beside her. Lightning placed her hand on his back. "You want to know how? Ask him."

The woman introduced herself and explained what she was just asking Lightning about. Lightning left the two alone and stood over where Serah was. They watched as Hope and the teacher shook hands and talked as they smiled. Throughout their conversation, the woman was laughing as much as she was talking with him almost to the point where it seemed like she was flirting with him. Serah was surprised by how excited her teacher was. "Wow! She sure seems happy."

"Hmm…" Lightning was a little curious as to what they were talking about, but then he saw Hope glance back at her as he smiled and continued speaking. She wasn't that concerned about him flirting back with the woman but she became even less after what he just done. She turned her attention back to Serah. "So? How was the trip?"

Serah let out a smile. "It was fun!" As they stood there, Serah talked about all the things she did and saw. Lightning smiled throughout. After she was finished, Lightning searched around but saw no sign of what she was looking was. "So? Did Fang already come by?"

"Yeah. She came by and she offered to take me home, but I told her that I would wait for you here." Then, Serah's eyes traveled toward the ground as the question she wondered earlier came back to mind. She had to know. She lifted her head back to her sister a little concerned. "So I guess that Hope will be staying around more often."

Lightning became curious as to what she meant by that. "Yeah. Probably."

"So? Does that mean that he'll be staying with us longer?"

Lightning shrugged. "I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"Hope. He's…" she tried to find the right words to say but decided to just ask directly. "Are you with him now? Is he your boyfriend?"

Lightning was a little surprised that she asked. Maybe the two of them getting close was becoming more obvious. Her eyes drifted over to Hope as he was still talking. Afterwards, she sighed as she closed her eyes. She placed her hand on her hip. "I guess you could label him that."

A little part of Serah was surprised but overall, her suspicions were right. Her eyes gazed down toward the ground, uneasy. "You must like him a lot."

Lightning looked straight forward. "Yeah. He's all right."

Minutes later, Hope headed back over. "Sorry about that. She just wanted to keep talking to me."

"I can tell." Lightning replied before she turned toward the direction for home. "You ready Serah?"

Serah nodded. "Yeah." She started walking as she was in between Lightning and Hope. When she looked up, she saw the two looking at each other as they were talking. She even saw a smile from her older sister as they did so. Now she would truly have to wonder how things would change now and for that, she was worried.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter. I hope that you liked it. As always let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_


	10. The Lines Of Attachment

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thank you for reading, adding this to your favorites and alerts, and sending in reviews. I really apperiate all of the feedback I've been getting. I hope that you will enjoy the next chapter of the story!  
_

* * *

_Chapter 10: The Lines of Attachment:_

"I'm heading out." Lightning said before she turned and stepped out onto the beach.

Fang crossed her arms as she looked curious. "Off duty already?"

The pink haired soldier nodded in response. "Yeah. See ya."

Before she could leave, Fang called out to her. "Hey!" Once Lightning heard her, she stopped as she looked back. Fang walked over to her. "Heard a little rumor about you."

Lightning was a little interested as to what she heard. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"That maybe you and a certain houseguest of yours finally worked things out. Is it true?"

Lightning's eyes moved toward the side away from her. "Well…"

There was no need for her to answer any further. Fang could already figure it out. "I see. Things did work out. So what happened?"

Lightning let out a shrug. "Nothing really. Just went out on one date."

It wasn't the answer that Fang was hoping for but she could live with that. "Well saw that coming."

* * *

In the kitchen, Hope and Serah were sitting at the table as he was helping her with homework. Her eyes traveled over toward the window in the living room. Hope noticed that she seemed distracted. "Something wrong?"

Serah shook her head. "No. Just thinking."

"About what?" he asked curiously.

She leaned her head on her hand as she continued staring out. "Well…there's a carnival going on."

A smile appeared on Hope's lips. "I was wondering what was going on out there. Do you want to go?"

After she heard him suggest that, her eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah! I was hoping to ask my sister if she wanted to."

Seeing her filled with enthusiasm about the idea, he started to feel the same way as well. "Then let's go! You, me, and Light. We'll have fun. I've never been to one of these things before."

At first, Serah smiled but then it began to fade away. The thought crossed her mind that maybe Lightning would want to take Hope especially if he had never went to one before, and the two of them would end up spending more time together alone without her. "But…" Her eyes drifted down toward the table.

A concerned look crossed over Hope's face as he noticed her expression. "What?"

She gave a faint smile. "It's okay. How about you and Lightning go together?" She stood up from the table as she grabbed her stuff. "It could be a like a date or something."

Hope wondered why she suddenly changed her mind. She seemed excited about the idea of going. "The three of us should go together."

"It's okay. You two have fun. I'm sure that Lightning would like that." She was about to head back to her room but he called out to her. "Really. It's all right if you go with us."

"It's fine. I'm sure that you two will be spending more time together so I won't get in the way of that." Afterwards, she took off walking leaving Hope to think of what she meant by that. It took some time, but then he remembered something Serah told him a while back.

Nearby, he heard the front door open. When he looked over, he saw Lightning step in. Right away, she saw him sitting in the kitchen. "Hey."

Hope gave a small smile. "Hey."

She stopped near him in the kitchen as she looked curious. "Where's Serah?"

"She's in her room." Afterwards, his eyes drifted off to the side as he was thinking about what Serah said before.

Lightning noticed the concern on his face. "Something wrong?"

He lifted his head and smiled to assure her that nothing was. "No! Nothing's wrong." He stood up from the table and went over to her. "Light? I need you to do me a favor? You know the area better than I do."

Lightning became curious as to what he wanted. "What?"

"I need you to find something for me."

"Okay…? What is it?"

Hope took a piece of paper and began writing down something. Afterwards, he folded it in half and handed it to Lightning. She was about to open the small slip of paper he handed her, but he closed her hand. "You can't open it yet, but I can tell you where to go."

Lightning was struck with confusion, but decided not to ask questions just yet. "Okay…?"

"Hey! Why don't you take Serah with you? I'm sure that she can help."

"Wait! Why can't you just come with me to find this?" Suddenly, she felt herself pulled into a hug which she was surprised by. After he parted from her, he leaned in and gave her a kiss. A smile came upon his lips as he opened his eyes to her. "Thank you. You're the best."

Lightning stared into his eyes to figure out what he was up to but she had no idea. Finally, she let out a sigh as she closed her eyes. "Sure."

As the sun was beginning to set over the beach, Lightning and Serah were walking beside each other, heading to place that Hope told them to go. Lightning had changed out of her uniform into something more comfortable and casual. She turned her attention over to Serah. "You have any idea what Hope was talking about?"

In response, the small girl let out a shrug. "Not really. He just told me to lead the way."

Lightning crossed her arms. This would have been easier if he had just come along. "Why didn't I just drag him out here? I don't even know what we're looking for. He just gave me a piece a paper, wrote something on it, and told me not to open it until we got to the place."

Serah looked curious. "What do you think it is?"

Lightning turned her eyes over to the side. She just hoped for his sake that it wasn't anything embarrassing that he was making her get instead. Up ahead, they saw the carnival that was set up on the island. A smile instantly came to Serah's face. She pointed forward. "Hey! Look!"

Lightning looked over and saw where she pointed. She continued walking forward. "Come on. We don't have time."

Serah moaned in disappointment, but then she remembered something. "Hey wait! This is where he told us to go anyway."

Lightning really started to wonder what Hope was up to. "What? He better not have dragged us out here for food."

Serah grabbed Lightning's hand and pulled her forward. "Come on!" Lightning followed along and went onto the carnival ground. Serah ran over to one of the food stands before she looked over at her older sister. "Remember. Hope said that we could take all the time that we want. Can't we spend some time here?"

Lightning stared at the young, pleading girl's face before she gave in. "Fine."

Serah let out a grin and read over the menu. "Let's eat and then go on some of the rides!"

"Oh no. If you go on anything, then you eat last." Serah groaned as Lightning pulled out her phone and pressed a few buttons before pressing it to her ear.

"Hello?" she heard the voice on the other line.

"Hey. Now can you tell me what you wanted me to get now?"

On the couch, Hope was lying with his hand behind his head. "Are you already there?"

"We're at the carnival yes."

Hope smiled. He was glad to hear that they were there. "If you want to stay longer, it's fine. In fact, I insist. Both of you could use a break. Just call me when you get ready to leave and I'll tell you then." Lightning wanted to say something but Hope beat her to it. "Later then."

After that, she heard the line go dead. At first, she was surprised that he just hung up on her like that, but then felt unhappy that he did. "That-. He just cut me off."

Serah looked curious. "What did he say?"

"He said that if we wanted to stay then it was fine, and we'll just get what he wanted later."

A grin appeared on Serah's lips. "Then let's!" She pointed over to one of the rides. "Let's go on that one first!" Her eyes traveled over to Lightning. "It'll be like the last time we came."

"Last time, you almost threw up and that was when…" Lightning lifted her head up toward the sky as she was going over the memories in her mind. "Dad was still alive." A sad look came to Serah's face. Suddenly, she felt a hand pressed against her shoulder which caused her to look over. Once she did, she saw a gentle smile on her sister's face. "We should have fun again right?" Serah nodded as she smiled a little. Afterwards, they headed over toward the first ride she pointed to.

A few hours later, the rest of the day had set, turning into night. While they were at the carnival, they rode a few rides and headed over to the game booths. Lightning took the time to play a few shooting games from real guns to water ones and darts figuring they would be relatively easy to get prizes for. A few games she played with Serah's help that she couldn't get hurt on. They tried a few aiming ones with baseballs, but it was harder than the shooting ones. Last, they stopped at the food stands. She pulled out her phone and called Hope again. "Yeah?"

"All right. We're getting ready to leave. What do you want?"

A smile came to his lips once he heard her voice. "You guys have been out for a while. Did you stay and have fun?"

"Yeah. So are you going to tell me what you want or not?"

Hope laughed silently. "I think that now you are ready to open the piece of paper that I gave you."

Lightning started to get a little impatient. "Why can't you just tell me what you want?"

"Where's the fun in that? Just read it."

She let out a sigh. Soon, she heard that he hung up again. Upset, she closed her phone and then pulled out the paper that he gave her. "As soon as I get home, I'm going to-." When she read it, a look of confusion struck across her. "What is this supposed to be?"

Curiously, Serah read what was in her hand. "Hmm… It says two sib, two lings, and one bond. Have fun."

"Is this supposed to be some stuff for science?" She pulled out her phone planning on calling him again, but Serah placed her hand over her phone. "Wait." She placed her thumbs over some of the words. "Look what happens when you take out the numbers and you put the words together."

Lightning followed along with what she said and looked confused. "Siblings bond?"

"I get it. It's like its saying two siblings, one bond or something."

Lightning snorted. "This is probably the corniest thing he's ever came up with."

Serah's eyes traveled along the ground, concerned. "I think…I know why he did this. All of this." Lightning looked over as she put the paper away. They walked over and sat at a table nearby beside each other. Serah kept staring toward the sand. "I think that Hope wanted us to go out today. I kept telling him that the two of you should go because I thought that you would want to hang out with him more now."

Lightning was a little surprised with what she said. "What made you think that?"

"We don't hang around each other as much anymore."

"How? We see each other every day."

"But Lightning? When was the last time that we did anything together? Just the two of us that was fun." Lightning wanted to answer, but nothing recent came to mind. "You started traveling after you took dad's job and then you have to work here."

Lightning's eyes drifted toward the side. Once she thought about her sister's words, she wondered if she had become more distant. Then, she placed her hand on Serah's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Serah gave her a small smile. "It's okay. I know you're busy."

Slightly, Lightning shook her head. "I know but that's no excuse. I'll try harder next time."

"Don't try too hard." Serah replied jokingly. Afterwards, the two embraced as they smiled. From the honesty they shared, they started to feel closer again. A few moments later, they separated from each other. "Come on. Let's get something to eat."

Lightning stood up, going along with Serah and her suggestion. "And I guess we better get something for the other one too."

Later that night, Serah and Lightning returned back home. In the living room, Hope was lying on the couch with an open book covering over his eyes, asleep. Serah smiled at the sight. She was hoping that he would be awake since she wanted to thank him for what he did. She looked back at Lightning. "Good night."

Lightning gave her a gentle smile. "Good night Serah." Afterwards, Serah headed to her room with the stuff animals that were won at the carnival, and closed the door behind her leaving Lightning alone with Hope. As Lightning kept her eyes on the man in front of her, she gave a little smirk as she carried food in her hand. She placed it down on the table nearby the couch and went over to him. Closely, she leaned toward his lips. "I know you're not asleep."

Hope didn't response. A bit of doubt struck Lightning, but it quickly passed as she was sure that he was faking. She pressed her lips to his. Seconds later, she felt him kiss her back. After they separated, Hope shook his head and looked as if he was afraid. "Who's there?"

Lightning shook her head a little. She saw what kind of game that he was playing. "Who do you think?"

He turned his head toward the voice. "Listen. You should go. The woman that lives here is also my girlfriend. She'll kill you if she finds you here and maybe me."

A smirk came across her lips. For now, she would play along. "Then we better hurry before she comes back then." Soon, she moved back in and kissed him again. After she lifted up from him, Hope removed the book from over his eyes. "You know. It's not right to take advantage of a sleeping man-. Oh Light! It's you! When did you get back?"

She shook her head and sat down beside him. "Are you done playing around now?"

Hope sat up on his elbows. "Depends... I knew I recognized those lips from somewhere."

In response, she smiled, wanting to laugh a little. "I knew that you weren't asleep."

He thought for sure he had her fooled. "What gave me away?"

She took the book that he had over his face and held it up to where he could see the cover. "It was upside down."

"So? I could have just left it like that before I fell asleep."

"Unlikely."

"So? Did you two have fun?"

"Yeah and we decoded your little message." Hope smiled nervously seeing that they figured out what he was up to. She wasn't mad but happy with what he did for them. "It's a little cheesy but thank you."

"For what?"

"Serah and I haven't had that much fun in a long time."

"I figured that you two could use the time alone."

"Why?"

"Well…I didn't want her to think that I was taking away her big sister. She told me before how you two don't spend a lot of time together so I thought if I just get you two out there, then maybe you two would have fun. Looks like it worked."

"Hmm… And here I thought that I would have to hurt you for hanging up on me twice today."

"Sorry but I didn't want you to figure out what I was up to."

Lightning moved and lied down beside him. He moved over to give her more room. She leaned her head against his chest and arm. "We brought you something back anyway." Hope tried to reach for the food but couldn't. Her body was what stood in the way between him and the sweet snack. "Well I can't get to it if you stay on me."

"I think that you could live without it for a few more minutes." Hope sighed deciding to make another attempt to get it later and relaxed along with her.

* * *

Hours later as the night continued, everything through the house was dark and quiet. Lightning stepped out of her room after waking up and headed into the kitchen. She poured a glass of water to help with her thirst. When she walked into the hallway, she became curious. She noticed there was a light coming from Hope's room as his door was slightly opened. She didn't think that he was still awake but she wanted to check anyway. Quietly, she stepped over to his room and opened his door. A surprised look came across her face. Hope was concentrating as he was working on his computer. A few transparent screens were up with models of weapons mainly ones that she recognized as gunblades. He didn't notice her step in. He was sitting on the side of the bed to where she could see him from the side. "What are you doing?"

Hope jumped at the sound of her voice. Instantly, he stopped working on what he was doing and darted his eyes over to her. It looked as if she scared him. "Light?!"

Lightning walked over curious to see what he was doing. "What is this? It looks like-."

Hope cut off all of the screens that he had on. "Light? What are you doing here?" She was surprised that he seemed angry by her coming in but even more by the tone in his voice. It gave the impression that she walked in on something that he didn't want her to see. He stood up in front of her as he still looked serious. "I asked you what you were doing here."

She stepped back from him. Never before had she seen him look this angry. It put her somewhat on edge. "I saw that there was a light on in your room. I just wanted to see if you were awake." Hope sighed as he closed his eyes. He placed his hand over his eyelids. Lightning became partly curious and partly suspicious. "What? Is there something I wasn't supposed to see?"

"Next time knock all right?"

"Hope. This is house. I can walk in wherever I want."

"It might be your house, but you need to learn something about privacy." The comment made her upset. Hope looked back at her just as unhappy. "Doesn't that come with paying rent?"

Lightning placed her glass down on the dresser and crossed her arms. "Don't forget that I'm the one who can kick you right out of here." Hope sat down on the edge of the bed as he sighed. He calmed down somewhat from her walking in, and didn't want to start a fight with her. She relaxed a little as well and sat down beside him. "Hope? What was that? Some of those things on your screen look like gunblades. Are you planning on building one or-?"

"It's nothing." he tried to stop her but she continued on. "Those look like ones I've never seen before."

"Light please just leave it alone."

A part of her felt that she should leave it alone, but she kept going since she wanted to know what he was up to. "Tell me what's going on. What are you doing looking at weapons especially ones that only the military uses?"

"I told you that it's nothing all right so don't worry about it."

Lightning started to get concerned. Sure they didn't know everything about each other, but she didn't want them keeping stuff from each other either. "Hope…?" He looked toward the floor. He couldn't tell her. It would ruin the relationship that they just started to build. He wasn't ready to let that happen. Before she could say anything, he leaned in and kissed her. His hand pressed against the back of her head so that she wouldn't escape him. Maybe now, she would forget or at least it would cause her to let it go for another day.

Lightning came into a struggle of pushing him away and giving in. Even then, she could feel that he refused to relent. For the time being, she kissed him back just as much as he kissed her. He leaned forward making her lay back on the bed. As her body was pressed under his, his hand caressed against her side and up to her leg that was on the side of his waist. His other hand moved over from behind her head and grabbed onto her arm. He pressed it down against the bed nearby her head. Things started to get heated between them as their kiss kept overwhelming her along with his dominance. Even if she wanted to leave at that moment, he made it hard for her to. At some point, she felt that eventually they would lose control of themselves. In the end, she could see that they would do something they never had before. Finally, she broke away and sat up from him. "I can't." Her fingers grabbed onto the edge of the bed. "Not here."

His eyes traveled over to her. He didn't understand what she meant, but he could see that she wasn't ready to go through something like that. Neither was he. He wasn't sure what came over him. He just felt as if he needed to do something to make her not question what he was up to. "Sorry about that."

"It's not that just… it just feels weird to do something like that in this room."

"You mean because this room belonged to your parents?"

Slightly, she shook her head as her eyes stared toward the floor. "It's silly."

Gently, Hope smiled. "It's fine. Actually, I just remembered something I wanted to ask you." Curiously, Lightning looked back to see that he was holding out his hand for her to take. Quietly, she took his hand. "I had an idea that I wanted to run by you."

"What's that?"

"I was thinking about how you guys went to the carnival today and how you told me that it was fun. I thought of somewhere else the three of us could go together."

"Where that?"

"How about this weekend we go to Nautilus?"

She was surprised by his suggestion. "The amusement park?"

His lips curved up into a grin. "Why not? There's a lot we can do there. They have the big fireworks display. It's not exactly a date but it could be something similar."

"Sure. I guess that will be fine. I know that Serah would like that."

Hope was glad to hear that. "Good." Afterwards, things turned silence between them for a short time until Hope spoke. "Well…I guess we should probably say good night."

"Yeah." Lightning stood up and headed toward the door. Still, she was concerned about what she saw earlier. She placed her hand on the doorknob but didn't open the door.

"Hey! Light?" he called out to her.

Her eyes traveled back to him curious. "Yeah?"

He noticed that she seemed uneasy. "You okay?"

"Yeah." As much as she wanted to ask him, she decided that would only put him on edge and upset again.

Hope was a little nervous about asking but he wasn't sure as to why she stopped. Still, an idea came to mind. "Do you…want to stay here with me tonight?" She was a little surprised by his offer. Then again, it wasn't as if she hadn't fallen asleep beside him before even if the first time was an accident. After deciding, she headed over toward him. She lied down beside him on her side. She relaxed her head against a pillow and closed her eyes. For now, she would let go of the questions that she had on her mind. The two exchanged good nights and fell asleep next to each other.

The next morning, Lightning opened her eyes to see the sun shining through the window. The curtains that were hanging in the window were blowing in with a light breeze. She could smell the fresh air. When she looked at the clock that was on the dresser, she noticed that it was later in the morning than she was used to waking up. The thought worried her that she overslept and didn't wake up in time to help Serah in the morning. When she looked over beside her on the bed, there was no one there but a note left for her. It was from Hope telling her not to worry about things this morning, and that he had gotten everything ready for Serah. The way he saw her sleeping peacefully earlier, he didn't want to disturb her. The gesture that he did for her made her happy. It had been a long time since she didn't have to wake up early to do anything on her day off. Soon, she sat up and headed toward the bathroom inside of his room.

Minutes later when she stepped back out, her eyes glanced over toward his dresser seeing his computer that he was working on last night. Debating as to whether she should investigate into it, she walked over. Her fingertips touched the keys of his computer. Last night, she could still remember what she saw. It disturbed her that he had details about weapons that she hadn't seen before. Then, she remembered him telling her about privacy and not to worry about what he doing. As much as she wanted to trust him, it made her uneasy letting it go. Then again, he could end up distrusting her, and it was truly nothing at all. As a result, that could mess things up between them. Finally, she sighed and removed her fingers from his keyboard. During his stay there, he didn't ask anything military related but only told her what he knew and there was no proof that he had been snooping around looking for information. Could he still be a threat though? For the time being, she would have to trust him and over time, maybe he would trust her with whatever he was up to.

Seconds later, Hope walked back in. His expression turned into surprise. "Light?" In bed, Lightning opened her eyes and looked over. She sat up on her elbow. His lips curved up into a smile. "Were you already awake?"

"Yeah." she answered him.

As he stood in the doorway, he took in the view of her lying on the bed and the messy pink hair that she had when she woke up. "I brought something." He left for a few seconds, walking out of her sight. When he came back, he had a tray of food. She was instantly met with surprise. She sat up as he placed it in front of her on the bed. "I thought since you didn't have to go in today that it might be nice to eat something here in bed."

"Thank you." Afterwards, Hope left from the room. Lightning ate a little before she looked toward the doorway. At that point, she didn't think that he was anyone dangerous. He was nicer than other people she knew and didn't think it was just an act. When he came back, he brought a tray of his own with food on it. "Mind if I join you?"

Lightning shrugged. "Sure. There's enough room." He settled in beside her and began eating along with her.

* * *

_So that's it for this chapter! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update soon._


	11. My Risk For You

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with the story, sending in reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts. This is a long chapter and I couldn't figure out a way to split up just right but __I hope that you will enjoy it.__  
_

_So is drama on the horizon? Definitely read this one to find out :)  
_

* * *

_Chapter 11: My Risk For You:_

"Wow!" Vanille shouted cheerfully as her orange curls bounced along behind her. Anxiously, she ran ahead along with Serah in the crowded area filled with people. Their eyes traveled around as their faces beamed with excitement. Both of them couldn't wait to go exploring around the park. "It's really pretty."

Serah nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

Lightning and Hope caught up with them where they stopped. Behind Lightning's slight frown was concern that they might lose them there. "Don't get lost."

"We won't." Serah assured her.

Vanille took a few more seconds to look around before she turned her attention to Hope. She gave him a big grin. "I've never been to Nautilus before! Thanks for bringing me along!"

Hope's lips curved up into a smile. "Of course."

Serah lifted her head to him. "So what should we do first?!"

Hope went over the schedule in his mind, thinking about where they could go. "Well…the fireworks are about to start soon."

Vanille pumped her fist up into the air as she lifted her leg, bending it back. "Yeah! Let's go!"

"Yeah!" Serah shouted and ran off with Vanille leaving Lightning and Hope to rush to catch up with them. They made it to the area where the fireworks show was supposed to occur. As they watched, Serah and Vanille pointed upwards whenever they recognized something and called out what it was. Lightning and Hope stood behind them as they watched in silence. His eyes traveled over to her and let out a smile. "Are you having fun?"

Lightning gave a slight nod. "Yeah." Then, he placed his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. At first, it felt strange to be so close to him like that in a crowd, but no one else seemed to notice but them. She gave in, leaning close on him.

Suddenly, she heard her phone ring. Surprised, she reached for it and answered it. "Yeah?"

"Guess who?" she heard a familiar voice on the other line.

Lightning sighed as she automatically recognized who it was. "Yes Fang?"

Fang laughed a little over the phone. "Not happy to hear from me?"

Lightning was curious as to why she called since she knew where they were. "What's going on?"

"Are you busy?" the raven haired woman asked.

"No. Why?"

"You guys having fun?"

"Yeah."

"Then I should probably just call you back later then."

Lightning wondered why all of a sudden she decided to change her mind about talking now. "No. What is it?"

Fang settled back in the chair she was sitting in within a military office as her expression grew serious. "The higher ups finally came through. The Academy released more information about their missing Director. They gave us a name. I told them I would tell you first."

"All right. What's the name?"

"Hmm…" At first, Fang wasn't sure about saying it, but she knew that Lightning would find out eventually. "Tell me something. That guy of yours. You told me that he used to be a scientist right?"

Lightning was curious as to why she brought that up. Already, she could sense a bad feeling dwelling inside of her. "Yeah? Why?"

"It might not be anything but do you know his last name?"

Lightning glanced over at Hope which he caught sight of her doing so. At first, he was surprised but then his expression soon turned into concern. Lightning looked away from him. "No."

"The first name and his background might be a coincidence but the guy we're looking for…" It was then that Fang began to hesitate.

"What?" Lightning asked anxiously. Fang sighed as she closed her eyes. If it truly was him, Lightning would have no choice but to turn him in. She didn't want to do this to her especially after finding someone she really liked and just started a relationship with. "Fang?"

There was no choice but to tell her regardless. Maybe it was better hearing it from her first. She took a deep breath before she let the news out into the open. "His name is Hope Estheim. He's the Director of the Academy." Lightning turned silent as she was stunned. Fang continued telling her the rest. "Pretty much after he left, the trail turned cold on finding him. There hasn't been any proof of where he's been for the past few months." Still over the line she heard nothing but silence. "You still there?"

Instantly, Lightning responded. "Yeah. Thanks for telling me." Afterwards, Fang heard the line go dead. She suspected that Lightning would find some way to handle this herself. All she could hope was that she wasn't actually with the guy they had been searching for.

Hope looked over at her curiously after she got off of the phone. "Is everything okay?"

Lightning placed her phone away. "It's…nothing." She wasn't sure how she should approach the situation, but she had to find out who he really was. Hearing the news only brought back more questions as to what she saw a few nights ago on his computer. It seemed that all signs pointed to him being the missing Director.

Hope gave a gentle smile. "Hey! Whatever it is, I'm sure that it's fine." Still, he could tell that she felt uneasy. Whatever it was seemed to be bothering her a lot. "Let's just enjoy being here."

She wanted to push herself to ask him who he was, but she figured now wasn't the time. Maybe there would be a better time than this later. "Right."

A small smile came upon his lips. He leaned in closer to her. A part of her wanted to move away from him while she was still covered in a cloud of confusion but she didn't. She didn't want to believe that he was keeping this from her the whole time. Soon, he moved in and pressed his lips against hers. The things that were running through her mind started to ease somewhat.

* * *

Further along the crowd, there were two girls that were also watching the fireworks excited and talking with each other. One of the girls looked around at the crowd, but then noticed something far off. A look of surprise came across her face. "Hey… Isn't that? No way!"

Her friend looked over wondering what she was talking about. "What?"

The first girl pointed across the crowd. "Isn't that…him?"

The other girl looked in the same direction and became surprised as well. "Yeah. It looks like him." From far away, they saw Hope together with someone else they didn't recognize. The two grew suspicious seeing how close they were to each other. "Who's that woman that he's with?" The first girl pulled out her phone since it had a camera on it.

* * *

Serah and Vanille stopped from their cheering and looked back to catch the scene between Lightning and Hope. Playfully, they groaned. "Hey!" Vanille shouted out.

"Come on you guys! Do you have to do that here?" Serah asked.

Hope grinned as he separated from Lightning. "Sorry."

Lightning crossed her arms. "Why are you guys looking anyway? Aren't you supposed to be looking at the fireworks?" Serah and Vanille began to laugh.

* * *

The first girl from before that held up her phone placed it down as she was disappointed. "I can't get a good shot."

Her associate didn't see why she was trying so hard to see if it was really him. "For all we know, it might not be him."

A determined look came across the first girl's face. "We're going to find out. Come on." They started traveling through the crowd.

Hope was laughing along with the others when he suddenly heard a voice calling out for him. "Director!" Instantly, he stopped laughing as his eyes darted over. He was sure that someone said "Director". The voice called out again. Once he looked over, he saw the two girls heading over toward him. Worry appeared on his face. Lightning was smiling along Serah and Vanille, but then noticed Hope with a serious stare. The smile she had faded from her. "Hope?"

"We should go."

She became confused. "What?"

Hope smiled at her as best as he could so that she wouldn't be suspicious. "There are other parts of the park that we still haven't visited yet and I'm sure that the others would like to see it before we have to go. The show is pretty much over anyway."

Lightning wasn't sure why he seemed in a hurry all of a sudden. "Okay…?"

Suddenly, she felt him grab her hand and pulled her along. "Come on guys." Serah and Vanille weren't sure why they were leaving but they followed along. They made their way through the crowd to the halls where there were pods that could transport people into different parts of the park. Hope checked behind him, hoping that whoever called out for him wasn't around. Once he didn't see anyone searching for him, he sighed silently in relief. Lightning stepped over toward him with her arms crossed, curious. "All right what's wrong?"

Nervously, he gave a smile. "Nothing. I figured that we didn't have much longer to stay if we wanted to get back in time to catch the train." Lightning gave him a look of suspicion. Her eyes drifted toward the ground as she thought maybe this would be a good time to ask about who he was. He began to relax. "Anyway, you want to go check out the chocobos now?"

Serah and Vanille rushed over as they were excited. "Yeah! Let's go!" Vanille replied.

"Yeah!" Serah agreed along with her.

Lightning shrugged a little. "I guess."

The four of them headed toward the pod that would take them to where the chocobos were. Before he stepped in, Hope's eyes traveled toward the side to see if the same girls from before were around. Maybe if he was in another part of the park, then he wouldn't run into them again. After Lightning settled in, she noticed that he seemed tense. "Come on Hope!" When he heard Vanille's voice, he gave a smile and got in with them. "Coming!"

They moved along and went to where the chocobos were. There, they got to meet with the chocobos and sheep like creatures. Lightning stood near as she watched Serah and Vanille playing with them. Hope watched her from nearby and smiled. Playfully, he walked beside her and nudged her. "And why don't you ride on one?"

Lightning crossed her arms. "I don't do birds."

He stood in front of her. "Afraid?" he said to test her.

She placed her hands on her hips. "Really?" If that was his tactic to get her to ride one, then she was not going to fall for it.

He held out his hand. "Come ride with me." Lightning thought about his offer. The idea still wasn't appealing. Hope stepped over to one of the birds and petted the feathers against his neck. The yellow chocobo made a cheerful sound and began to rub his head against Hope's. Hope closed his eyes as he grinned at the tickling of the bird's feathers against his skin. The cute sight made Lightning's lips curve into a small smile. He continued to pet it, but then walked over to Lightning. The chocobo followed behind him. He grabbed onto her hand and held on. The chocobo leaned his head against Hope's back and pushed him forward toward her. He laughed a little nervously being so close to her. In return, she smiled back as well.

The two girls that spotted Hope earlier at the fireworks display walked into the chocobo park. They looked toward the ground disappointed. "I was sure that I saw him."

"And to think we could have finally solved the mystery of the missing Director." Soon, they lifted their heads. Once they did, they looked over and became surprised. From far off, they spotted Hope again standing close to a woman that they didn't know. Their eyes squinted. "Wait! It is him!"

Hope stepped aside and placed Lightning's hand on the chocobo's beak. The bird squawked happily. Seeing the two have a friendly interaction made a smile appear on him. "See. He likes you."

Lightly, she petted the chocobo. "I guess so." When she looked over at Hope, she could tell that he still wanted her to ride on the bird. The chocobo kneeled down in front of her. Finally, she let out a sigh. "Fine." She lifted herself onto the chocobo's back and the bird stood up. Soon, he flapped his wings as he squawked. Lightning's eyes traveled down to Hope below her. "Happy now?"

He let out a grin. "Come on. You know you like it."

"I could live without the smell." Hope took out his phone and took a picture of her on the chocobo which she noticed. "I see. That was your plan all along."

"I was just thinking that I wanted to remember this moment and that we could ride together. Now if only I could get one of you smiling."

"Good luck with that."

He walked over to the bird and petted it again. "Not if I convince the chocobo not to let you back down."

Lightning felt a frown tug at her lips. She wouldn't put it pass him to do so. "You wouldn't."

He turned his attention to his yellow feathered friend. "You would listen to me right?" The chocobo replied with a loud noise. It almost sounded like he was agreeing to help Hope. Lightning shook her head as she closed her eyes. "This is ridiculous." She was about to step down, but Hope walked away from her. He reached into his pocket and held birdseed out in the palm of his hand. Once the chocobo saw it, he walked over before Lightning could get off. She was surprised that the chocobo started moving without her telling him to do so. When she lifted her eyes, she saw Hope in front of the chocobo feeding him. "Good boy."

She frowned. "You're trying to get me stuck up here."

Hope gave an innocent smile. "I'm just trying to get a smile and he's just trying to get food. I think it's a fair trade." She looked upset and tried to get off again, but Hope walked as the chocobo followed behind him. "Hope. Stop it."

"Just one picture please?"

She let out a sigh. "Fine." she groaned. He held up his phone and got a few pictures of her with a smile this time. After a few seconds, she started to get impatient. "Don't you have enough of me already?"

"Even if you included the ones of you sleeping then no."

"What?" She couldn't believe what she heard. She jumped down off of the chocobo and went over to him. She tried to grab his phone to see if he was serious about having pictures of her sleeping, but he held his arm up so that she wouldn't take it from him. "Give it! I want to see what you got."

His arm wrapped around her waist. "Maybe later. It might take some convincing though."

Both of them placed their arms down. Lightning wasn't willing to let him get away that easy. She wanted to know now. "Forget that. I can just take it from you."

Hope grinned but then heard a voice. "Hey!" His eyes turned over along with Lightning's to see the two girls from before wearing white and yellow Academy uniforms. His expression changed to that of worry. "You're okay! We've been so worried!"

Quickly, Hope separated from Lightning and pulled the girls away so they could talk alone. All of them were surprised by his reaction. Hope smiled as best as he could despite his worry that he had just been seen by members of the Academy. "Hey! It's nice to see you two again." Lightning watched nearby curious, wondering why he pulled them away.

"Where have you been? Everyone's been looking for you."

"Yeah. She's been worried about you." The first girl pulled out her phone as she started pressing numbers. "While you're here now, I'll call her. I'm sure that she'll be happy to hear your voice."

Hope pressed her hand down making her close her phone. When they looked at him, he had a serious expression on his face. "Listen. You can't tell anyone that you saw me. Understand?"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm doing something secret for the Academy and very few people know about this. If anyone were to find out, this could ruin things." His eyes drifted toward the side as he looked concerned.

The girls were worried. "We're sorry. We won't tell anyone that we saw you."

The first girl's eyes traveled over to Lightning confused. "But…what are you doing here and what are you doing with a woman?"

Hope looked surprised. The question caught him off guard and he didn't have an answer right away for that. He turned his head and looked at Lightning. "She's…she's someone who's helping me out. I'm here because I'm taking a break from my research for a night." It wasn't as if he was totally twisting the truth. Lightning was helping him out by letting him stay with her and he was taking a break from the project he was working on.

The second girl crossed her arms as she was suspicious. "You two seem close."

"What? Don't worry about that."

"The Academy has been looking everywhere for you. When are you coming back?"

"I'm not sure but I'll be back. Just please keep this a secret even from her. I'll explain this to her later." The girls nodded in response.

Nearby, Lightning was petting the chocobo as her eyes were watching Hope and the girls the whole time. Again, she felt uneasy as she had before when Fang told her the news. "I don't know. I don't want to believe that he's the one they've been looking for this whole time but I can't shake it." The bird nudged her with his beck as he made a sound. Lightning looked at the bird as if he was actually trying to communicate to her. It was silly to think that the chocobo was trying to give her advice, but she wasn't ready to think of what would happen once she asked him. Soon, she saw Hope head back over toward her as the girls headed the other way.

As the girls walked away, the first girl flipped open her phone. When her associate glanced over, she saw a picture that she took of Hope on her phone. She was surprised. "When did you get that?"

"Before we talked to him. I know we're supposed to keep this quiet but it wouldn't hurt to show her that he's okay. I'm sure that she'll keep this quiet too."

The second girl sighed, happy. "She's so lucky to have someone like him."

Hope went over to Lightning. For now, he would just have to believe that they would stay quiet about seeing him but he still felt unsure. Lightning looked at him curiously. "Who were they?"

He smiled. "Just some familiar faces that I knew."

She arched her eyebrow. "You seemed in a hurry to get them away."

"I just didn't want them asking questions. We probably won't see them again so I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable."

Lightning wasn't sure if she believed him but there was a bigger problem at hand. "Hope?"

"Yeah Light?"

"I wanted to know something. This whole time that I've known you, you haven't told me a lot about yourself."

"What are you talking about? I told you a lot about me. Yes. I haven't told you everything about me, but I'm sure that we'll learn more stuff about each other over time."

Lightning looked toward the ground. For a little, she focused on his words. There were still things that he didn't know about her either. Getting back to the matter at hand, her attention turned back to him. "But what do I really know? I don't even know your last name yet you know mine."

Hope started to get a little defensive when he heard her talk about his last name. It was possible that she brought it up randomly because of the two girls but maybe something had finally changed. Had news reached out to her about him? "Why do you bring this up now? There's no rush to get to know each other."

Lightning wasn't sure if she should keep going on like this as if this was some normal conversation they were having or if she should get to the point. Usually, she would get to the point of things but this time, she wanted to give him a chance to come clean instead of forcing it out of him. "I just feel that there are things that I don't know about you."

"Like I feel the same way about you. We'll have plenty of time to talk about it later. For now, let's just continue walking around the park until it's time for us to go." He started walking off.

Their conversation was getting her nowhere. Lightning crossed her arms as she looked serious. Her eyes drifted toward the side. There was no use holding it back any longer. "Hope? What's your last name?"

Hope stopped as his expression grew serious. His eyes stared toward the ground. Now he knew there was something going on. Did that explain why she seemed worried before after she got off the phone? "Why do you want to know?" He turned to her as he smiled the best he could. "Have some plans that I don't know about?"

There was no joking around this time. Lightning was ready to get down to business. She walked toward him. "When I met you, you told me that you were a scientist that seemed to know a lot about technology and weapons. That night I came into your room, you were working on something big dealing with military technology."

Hope shrugged. "What's your point?"

"The point is to tell me who you really are."

He placed his hand against his chest. "You know who I really am."

She started to get upset and impatient. "Why won't you tell me your last name?"

He began to get upset just as much as she was. "Because it doesn't matter. Why are you asking me this?"

Lightning turned her head to the side. He wasn't going to back down until she said what she knew. She could see that. It only made her convinced that it was him that she was searching for. Her eyes turned to him ready to see any trace of lying in him. "Weeks ago, the Director of the Academy, a science organization, had gone missing. For weeks, they've been trying to track him down but no one can seem to find him. Finally, someone told me the name of him today."

On the inside, Hope became really worried, but he kept his serious expression on the out as if the news didn't faze him. "And?"

"His name is Hope Estheim."

"Light. There are a lot of people with that first name." He made it sound as if it was no big deal.

"I doubt a lot of them have your background." Hope's eyes drifted to the side. What could he do now? She was cornering him. How else could he deny any of what she just said? Lightning stared at him. Her expression softened some. There was only one last thing she could ask. "Hope? Are you the Director of the Academy that everyone has been looking for?"

He remained silent. He couldn't let things end like this especially when he knew what was at stake. As he remained serious, he walked over to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. His emerald eyes stared into her blue ones. The longer he stayed quiet, the more she started to believe that it was true. "Light…"

Lightning turned her head as she closed her eyes. Her expression changed to that of hurt as she let out a sigh. He didn't need to finish saying what he wanted. She already had her answer. He placed his hand on the side of her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. Her eyes lifted up to his. "It's not what you think."

Before he could continue, Serah and Vanille ran over and noticed the distressed looks on both of their faces. "What's going on? Lightning?" Serah wondered.

Lightning took away his hand as she closed her eyes. "I'm fine. We should probably go."

Lightning and the girls were about to walk away until they heard Hope speak. "I think it's too late. We missed the last train. If we try to catch another one, we'll be on it all night heading back to New Bodhum and we wouldn't get there until morning."

"So what are you suggesting?" Lightning asked.

"If we stay here for tonight, then we can leave in the morning. More time spent here." Hope said.

Vanille smiled as she threw her arm up. "That like sounds fun!"

Serah nodded. "There are other parts of the park we haven't been to yet."

Vanille pointed forward. "Let's go!"

Soon, Serah and Vanille took off running. Lightning was about to follow them when she felt her arm being grabbed. She stopped and let her eyes turn to Hope who had a concerned look on his face. "Just listen to me. If you let me explain, it's not what you think -."

"We should catch up with Serah and Vanille before they get lost and we can't find them." She slipped her arm from his hand. She wasn't ready to hear his reasons now. She took off walking behind the others. Hope stood, thinking about what he should do now. He could already feel a separation between them. So far, she knew the truth which he wasn't ready for her to know yet. His eyes searched along the ground. A few things came to mind about what he should do, but ultimately for everything he wanted to keep and hold dear, there was only one thing he could think of to do.

Around the park, they continued to travel. During that time, Lightning remained silence toward Hope. Earlier, she thought about what he was trying to tell her but she wouldn't let him finish. For now, it seemed that it was true. The only thing to do now was the right thing. It was her duty to the military to complete missions. As easy as it was to tell herself that he was nothing more than another mission, it wasn't easy to carry through on those words. It was a rule to not let feelings get in the way, but what could she do when her feelings for Hope weighed as strongly as her beliefs and rules she lived by. She wondered to herself why this relationship couldn't stay the happy accident of fate that she continued to live through. Was there a way to go back to that place?

Later that night, they last stopped into a hotel for the night. Hope stood at the front desk, speaking with a man that stood behind it. "I'm sorry sir but its hotel policy that we don't take gil. We can only accept cards."

Lightning watched the scene unfold. It didn't seem as if Hope was going to pull out some kind of card on him. She walked up and gave the man one of her own. "Here."

He was surprised that she stepped in for him. "You don't have to do that." She glanced at him before getting the card back from the clerk. Afterwards, they headed toward their room. "I'll pay you back."

Lightning wanted to reply to his statement with some kind of joke such as it was coming out of his rent, or that he would help her later with something around the house, or with her but she was in no such mood to make any remark. It was still strange to her. When she thought back, she never saw Hope use any kind of card or show his ID. Everything he gave was in cash. Maybe that would explain why the trail on him went cold since no one could track his activity. In silence, they went into their two bed room that she paid for. Lightning looked around the room before she decided what to do next. "The bed is enough for Serah, Vanille, and I to share. You can take the other bed."

"How about this? Serah and Vanille can share one bed and you can take the other. I'll sleep on the couch."

Lightning looked over at the couch that was near the window. It seemed uncomfortable. "No. We're fine-."

"Seriously. It's okay." Hope headed over to the couch and sat down. Lightning decided not to argue against it.

Serah let out a groan, upset. "How come you get your own bed?"

Lightning looked over at her. "Because I'm the oldest."

Everyone settled in for the night. Serah and Vanille shared a bed closest to the door while Lightning slept in a bed of her own and Hope lied on the couch. During the night, Lightning opened her eyes. She managed to get some sleep, but there were still things on her mind bothering her. When she looked over at Hope, she saw that his eyes were barely open with his fingers to his face. He was gazing up toward the sky as he had one leg bend up. He didn't seem to notice that she woke up. Lightning slipped out of her bed and walked over to him. "Can't sleep?"

His eyes traveled over to her but he had no answer for her. What happened in the park today was all that was on his mind. He didn't understand it. How could one idea that he had out of good intentions blow his cover in one day? Maybe it was better if he didn't leave Bodhum. At least then, he wouldn't have more suspicion on his head from Lightning, and the chances of the girls from earlier telling the Academy that they saw him. It would only be a matter of time before one of them dragged him back to where he belonged.

"If the couch is uncomfortable, then…you can share the bed with me."

Hope sat up, still keeping his eyes glued on hers. "I thought that you didn't want to talk to me much less see me."

Lightning held onto her arms as her expression softened. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He knew that this was the moment where he decided what he could do. On one path, he could tell her the truth and hope that she would forgive him. On the other, he could lie as a way to protect her. Either way, if she knew the whole story, he was sure that there was a good chance of their relationship splitting apart. He couldn't let that happen and he couldn't let her go. Hope stood up in front of her. "There was nothing to tell because I'm not this guy you're searching for."

Lightning looked surprised. Did he just lie to her? Her expression changed to angry. "Hope. Don't lie to me. I know that-."

"I'm not lying to you. I'm not this Director you're looking for. Yes. I know of the Academy but I wasn't a part of them."

"But you knew about this technology. I saw you working on it."

He grabbed onto her arms as he stared into her eyes. "Trust me. I'm not the one you're looking for."

Lightning's eyes drifted toward his hand as they lowered. "Even if I could believe that, I know you're holding something back from me. I can tell."

"Yes. I am holding back but it's not what you think. You'll just have to believe me when I say that I'm not him."

Her eyes lifted up to his pleading ones. Every part of her told her that he was lying, but she wanted nothing more than to push those feelings aside and believe him. Could she fool herself into believing this lie? "Tell me, what you're holding back from me…is it something that-?"

"Don't worry. Believe me when I say that as far as us, it's not important."

"Will you eventually tell me?"

"Yes. Just know that I'm not him. I'm not who you're looking for."

Silently, she sighed as she placed her head down. Her hands pressed against his chest as she opened her eyes partly. Gently, she moved her fingers across his skin. "You do know if I find out you're really him, I will have to turn you in."

He placed his hand on the back of her hand and pulled her in toward him. He believed her when she said that she would turn him in, but he couldn't let that happen. "You won't have to…" Hope's eyes drifted toward the side, worried. He knew the risk he was taking and he hated lying to her the way he did but in the end, he thought it was for the best. For now, he would continue to live on through it for as long as he could even if it eventually caught up with him. He leaned his head on top of her. "because I'm not him. You believe me? Right?"

Lightning remained silent as she stared forward. For all she knew, she could have let off someone dangerous on the loose, but she didn't believe that he was that kind of person. She wished she knew his reasons to why he was doing this. Still, she had no proof of who he was but only going on her suspicions. The real question to her was should she do what her obligations told her to or should she look the other way and continued to be unaware and happy with him? She closed her eyes as she buried her face into his chest. "I believe you." she whispered. Slowly, she knew she could just forget about it. It didn't matter as long as he wasn't causing any harm.

Hope was relieved to hear her say so. The two parted. When she looked up, she could see the smile on his face. She just hoped that for their sakes that she made the right decision in trusting him. "What's going on?" they heard a groggy voice from nearby. They looked over to see that Serah was barely awake as she sat up.

"It's nothing Serah. Go back to sleep." Serah listened and lied down as she went back to sleep. Lightning headed back to her bed. Without looking, her fingers latched onto his and pulled him along. Hope followed behind for a little before he stopped both of them. He could still see that she seemed torn. "Are you sure you're okay?"

At first, Lightning didn't look back at him. It was hard to at that moment for fear of changing her mind. It took some time, but finally she told herself that he wouldn't lie to her. She turned to him. "Yeah. You wouldn't…lie to me would you?"

As he stared into her eyes, he felt his body go stiff. At that moment, he felt as if he should tell her the truth but he knew where that could lead. With a serious look, he shook his head. "No. I wouldn't lie to you." His hand caressed the side of her face. "Not now. Not ever."

The words helped to ease her more. She crawled into the bed she was lying on before and he lied in beside her. His arms wrapped around her waist as he leaned his head on her shoulder. Lightning closed her eyes. No longer would she let herself worry. With his words replaying in her head, she believed him and started to let it go. Hope closed his eyes with a torn look on his face. He embraced her tightly as he buried his face into her shoulder. _"Light. I'm sorry. I hope that you will forgive me one day."_ Lying to her he knew would constantly haunt him but for as long as he could, he would protect what he could.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! I hoped that you liked it! This chapter lets you in on a little of what's going on with Hope but continue reading to find out __more of __what's going on because more will be revealed in upcoming chapters. As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update soon!_


	12. Our Night Alone

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with the story and sending in reviews. _

_Last chapter, there was a lot of drama, but for this one it's a short read and less drama and one that had to get split up too from the next chapter so that it wouldn't be too long. I hope that you will enjoy reading this one. _

* * *

_Chapter 12: Our Night Alone: _

"The time is coming isn't it?" Fang stretched out her arms as she stood on the sand near Lightning. Her eyes traveled over to her. "That conference that you're going to, you'll have to leave soon right?"

Slightly distracted, Lightning continued staring out toward the beach. "Yeah."

"Wow! These last six months went by fast. So? You want me to watch Serah again while you're gone?"

"If you want but I figured that Hope could just watch her. That way, she'll already be home and she wouldn't need to take anything with her."

Fang pretended to be hurt that she didn't ask her. "Oh right! Get the boyfriend to do it. When do you have to leave?"

"A few days from now." Lightning answered.

"Well that's going to be interesting. The Academy still couldn't find their Director."

"As far as I know they're still coming to this thing."

Fang was curious. Even with the signs, she thought for sure that Hope was the Academy's missing leader. "So he wasn't the Director at all?"

Lightning glanced at Fang before her eyes drifted toward the ground. That was something she didn't like to think about too much. There were times that doubt crossed her mind, but she stuck with Hope's word that he was telling her the truth. Since their time in Nautilus and the few months after, she continued her relationship on with him as normal. "He told me that he wasn't."

"It's still weird. Same first name and he's a scientist."

Lightning shrugged. "Coincidence I guess."

Fang noticed that she didn't really seem to be paying complete attention to the conversation but only enough to respond. "What's going on now?"

Lightning looked over at her. "What?"

"What's going on in that head of yours now?"

Lightning crossed her arms. This seemed like a good opportunity to ask Fang for something. "I was wondering if you could watch after Serah tonight."

Fang was curious to her request. "Sure! Why?"

Lightning felt unsure about telling her, but she needed to give her some reason or she would keep hounding her for one. "Hope and I are having dinner together alone."

A sly smirk came on Fang's face. She nudged Lightning's arm. "I see and I take it that you want Serah to stay all night with me and go to school the next morning."

"Yeah. I don't know when we'll be back and we're leaving out of Bodhum for this one."

"Ah! So this relationship is getting serious. Where are you going?"

"He told me that the restaurant was kind of fancy."

"And do you have something appropriate to wear? I'm not talking about some skirt or anything."

Lightning looked to the side, thinking. "Haven't really worn a dress in a long time."

Fang grabbed onto her arm. "Good! That will give us a chance to go shopping for something that he'll really like."

Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. With Fang helping her to shop, this was going to be interesting. "Just know that I have standards."

* * *

Later after they were off duty, they stopped by one of the clothing stores a little outside of New Bodhum and started searching around. Lightning seemed uneasy with all the dresses she found. Some of them were too short, too revealing, or both, and there wasn't any that she liked. "Why did I let you or him talk me into this?"

"Oh relax! You'll survive the night. Tonight you're going to go all out. You might want to call him and tell him that you'll meet him at the restaurant."

Lightning was curious as to what Fang was up to. It concerned her a little. "What are you planning to do to me?"

Fang let out a smirk. "Make you over so good that you'll have him drowning in his own drool."

Lightning crossed her arms. The idea didn't sound appealing. "I'm not out to kill him."

"Just call him." Fang urged her along. Lightning pulled out her phone and called him. After talking for a few minutes, she agreed to meet with Hope at the restaurant. Once Lightning was done, Fang placed her hands on her sides. "Now that it's settled, let's get started. I wished you would have told me earlier. Have more time to work."

Lightning wondered what she meant by that. "What are you trying to say?"

Fang grabbed onto her arm and pulled her along. "Let's just find a dress first." For a few hours, Lightning tried on a few while Fang gave her opinion. Most of them, she gave a no and a few maybes. Finally, Lightning came out in a dress that she really liked. "I think we have a winner."

Lightning stood in a strapless, black dress that stopped at the top of her legs with a low cut heart shape top. There was a little red at the top but it was overlaid with black at the front. It hugged around her, showing off the curves of her body. She pulled down the bottoms of it, seeing if it would go any lower. "I think that this is too short."

Fang waved her hand down. "It's fine. You can still bend over without showing anything." She stood up from her seat and inspected the dress from up close. She tilted her head over to see the back. It came up to the same height as it did on her chest. "Hmm… It's a dress for easy access but maybe we can go a size lower to make that chest come out more."

Lightning arched her eyebrow after hearing the words "easy access". "What do you think is going to happen on this date?"

"You told me that you wanted me to keep Serah for the night."

"Yes because I don't know when we'll be back not for anything else."

"Tell me something. You still haven't tested "other" things out with him?"

Lightning looked serious. "No. Just because we're going on this date doesn't mean that anything is going to happen."

"Really? I'm surprised. You lived with him for a while. I just thought that something would have happened by now."

Lightning's eyes traveled along the ground. "Well it hasn't."

Fang was still surprised to hear so. "What? Is he not making a move?"

"No. It's not that."

Fang tried to read her expression but Lightning kept her eyes turned away. "What is it then?"

No longer did Lightning want to talk about it. "I'm changing out of this."

Fang didn't want to let the subject go that easily. "Tell me what it is."

"I'm not sure if I want to with him yet or…if he's the right one." Lightning spoke lowly. She turned and headed back into the dressing room.

Fang took a few seconds to think about what she said. An idea crossed her mind which made her surprised. "Wait. Have you ever been with anyone before?" Behind the curtain, Fang didn't hear a word out of her. Since she was silent, she figured that must have been it. "That's it isn't it?"

Lightning pulled back the curtain, upset. "Just drop it."

"Its fine you know." Fang tried to assure her.

Lightning sat down on a couch. "You can laugh now."

Fang sat beside her and leaned back on the couch. "Now why would I do that?"

Lightning tilted her head back. "I just haven't found the right one yet that's all…"

"But...?"

Lightning sat back up. "I guess…I feel like this one… is different."

Fang smiled as she closed her eyes. "It's all right to wait you know. Maybe you will find that thing you call love someday. Haven't really found it myself. At least if you do it with someone you really care about that you want to spend a long time with, it will mean more right?" Lightning was surprised. She was expecting Fang to make a joke or tease her with something, but she was actually being insightful about it. "Anyway, you decide what you want to get so we can get out of here. If you think that dress is too much, then we'll pick another one."

Lightning thought about it. She placed the dress over her arm. "I'll stick with it just in case."

"In case you change your mind about him?"

"Yeah."

A smile came to Fang's lips. Lightning seemed more at ease after their conversation. "If that's the case, if you're going to go with that dress, then you'll need to get some new underwear."

Lightning was surprised. "What?"

"You got your choice. We can go with the ones that show up in the dress, or none at all, or if you really think that tonight will be the night and you want to spice things up, then try these." Fang tossed some toward her which she caught. Lightning looked at them. "What's different about these?"

A smirk appeared on Fang's face. "They're edible."

Lightning frowned. Her face began to heat up at the thought of what he could do with those. "What kind of store did you bring me to?"

* * *

After shopping, they returned back to Fang's house where she did her makeup and hair. Sometime later, Fang stood up straight and put her hands on her sides. "Well I've done all that I can. It's up to you now."

Serah and Vanille looked at Lightning and smiled. "You look really nice sis."

Lightning smiled a little as she looked over. "Thanks Serah."

Fang waved her finger. "Now don't walk to close to traffic or guys might think that you're out looking for a good time."Instantly, Lightning frowned at her statement.

* * *

Later that night, Hope was sitting at a table at the restaurant that he told Lightning that he would be at. Waiting patiently, he placed his head on his hand. He glanced down at his watch. She was a little late but only by a few minutes. He looked down at his clothes to make sure that things looked okay. He wore a white buttoned up shirt with two button loose at the top along with a black jacket, pants, and dressed shoes. While he wasn't looking, a figure placed down a bag on the table and stepped toward him. "I'm not too late am I?"

Hope smiled once he recognized the voice. "No. Not at all." Once he looked over, he froze with a stunned expression on his face and his mouth opened a little. There, he saw her standing in the black and red dress that she picked out at the store. Her bangs covered over her right eye and the rest of her hair flowed down straight, partly over her shoulder and partly on her back. Lilac eye shadow covered over her eyelids and gloss brought out her lips more. On her feet, she wore opened toe high heel shoes. She placed her hand on her hip. "Are you just going to sit there with your mouth open or are you going to offer me a seat?"

Finally, he blinked and stood up quick. He went to the other side of the table and pulled out her chair. "Right! Sorry."

A smile came upon her face. It seemed that her dressing up was at least worth the look that he gave her. She picked the gift bag that she brought in with her and set it beside the table. After she sat down, she gazed out toward the window. From there, she could see the view of some of the city. It was a beautiful sight to gaze upon with the lights down below. Hope sat back in his chair and smiled as he looked over at the window as well. "I thought that you might like to sit somewhere with the view like this."

"It's nice."

"Did you get here by yourself okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Just wondering."

Lightning read the expression on his face. There seemed to be some unease. "You weren't actually worried about me were you?"

"Well I didn't want you to travel alone but now, I just wanted to make sure that you weren't bothered on the way up here."

"I can handle myself you know."

"I know. I don't doubt that. It's just…Wow… You look really… beautiful tonight."

A small smile came on her lips. "Thank you. You don't know what I had to go through just to get this way so you better make this dinner a good one."

Hope laughed a little. "I'll try my best." Through dinner, they ate and continued talking. After dinner was over, Hope thought it was the best time to pull out his surprise. "Before we go, there's something I wanted to give you." He reached down toward the floor. When he came back up, he had a box wrapped up in a bow. He placed it on the table in front of her. "We've been together for a few months now so I just thought maybe I should do something for the occasion."

"You really didn't have to."

"I wanted to."

Lightning unwrapped the bow and opened the box. Her expression turned into surprise. "You got me a knife?" She picked it up and flipped it open.

Hope looked a little nervous. "I probably wouldn't show that in a restaurant." It was black at the handle with gold designs covering over it. The steel blade was shiny and had a sharp point at the end. "Honestly, I wasn't sure what to get you but I figured that this would keep you safe someday maybe. If you don't like it, I brought something else." He reached down and pulled out another gift wrapped box.

Lightning looked over curious. "What's this?" She picked it up. It felt lighter than the box that the knife was in. When she opened it, she saw a silver necklace with a small pink stone shaped like a diamond on the end of it. "A necklace?"

"I didn't know if you were a jewelry kind of woman but I thought maybe you would like this. I wasn't sure."

"Hope. It's fine." She hooked the necklace around her neck and gave a small smile. "Thank you." Hope smiled back nervously. He wasn't sure what she thought about them but he guessed her not saying that she didn't like them meant that they were okay. Lightning reached over and pulled the big gift bag that she brought in with her. "I guess someone was right in saying that I should give you a present as well." She placed the bag on the table.

Hope became curious. He looked inside and pulled out the box that was in it. Afterwards, a grin came on his face. "Wow! A science kit with several experiments you can do like making a volcano and it's just safe for kids! Light?! How did you know I wanted one of these?!"

Lightning wanted to laugh at the sound of his voice and his so called excitement over the kit. She placed her head on her hand as her smile grew bigger. "Just a hunch."

He laughed a little which made her laugh somewhat as well. He placed his gift back in the bag. "I can't wait to try it when we get back!"

"Well not tonight. Don't forget that I have you for the rest of the night."

He moaned in disappointment which made her grin. "I guess…"

After they left the restaurant, they sat on a train heading back to New Bodhum. The train was quiet as there were very few people on board. The two of them sat somewhere quiet where no one else was sitting nearby. Lightning gazed out of the window as she watched the passing scenery. Hope placed his hand on top of hers. "Did you like tonight?"

"Yeah. If I could get rid of these shoes, it would be even better." He laughed a little. When he opened his eyes, he found hers staring back at him. "Things will be quiet tonight since it'll be just the two of us."

"Really?" The two stared at each other in silence trying to read what the other was thinking. There really wasn't much left to say between them. Both of them leaned in with their faces getting closer to each other. Like hers, his eyes traveled between the eyes and lips. Soon, his lips met with hers in a kiss. At that moment, it didn't matter where they were. There was no one around but them. Tension began to build between them as the spent minutes in a world of their own. His hands caressed along her sides and back as they moved in close as they could to each other. Her hands rose up and slid against his chest. Her hands slipped into his shirt rubbing on his skin. She opened his shirt a little more, exposing his chest. Her body sat up more onto her legs as she pressed herself more against him.

When they parted, their eyes opened to each other. Hope gave a look of confusion as he tried to read what she was trying to say to him. Then again, he thought that he might have been reading too much into it. Curiously, he leaned in toward her ear. Lightning closed her eyes as she listened to his whispers. After hearing him, she thought about what he was asking. For some time, she remained silent until he pulled away from her. Her eyes met with his again. It took some time but she gave him an answer.

* * *

_And that's it for this chapter! I wanted there to be some humor in it. As always, let me know what you think. Until the next chapter!  
_


	13. The End of the Line

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with the story, sending in reviews, and adding this to your alerts and favorites! I appreciate all the feedback I've been given! I hope that you will enjoy this chapter of the story!_

* * *

_Chapter 13: The End of The Line:_

Lightning traveled into the living room from the hallway. The only light that glowed through the house was from the few candles that were lit up on the living room table and around the room. On the couch, she saw Hope staring toward the floor as if he was deep in thought. She sat down beside him, placing her hands on her legs. "You okay?"

He almost didn't notice her come back in. His lips curved into a slight smile. "Yeah." Her hand reached over and took a sip of her wine from her glass that she removed from off of the table. Hope did the same with his own glass. Both of them settled back against the couch. Things turned silence between them as their eyes turned away from each other nervously. "It's okay you know." After she heard him, her eyes went over to him. "It doesn't have to be tonight."

For a few seconds, she sat debating about what she wanted to do next. After making her decision, she stood up in front of him. Her hand reached over and pressed against the skin of his chest. He looked surprised as he followed the light push of her hand and lied down against the couch. Her body moved in and lied down beside him. Her eyes lifted up to meet his. "No. It's okay."

Shortly after, she leaned in toward him and began kissing him. Her hand rested on the side of his cheek as her body became pressed against his. His hand caressed along her back to her side toward her hip and further along her leg. Things started off slow as they spent time with just their lips connected to each other. The edge of her dress began to be pushed up by his hand rubbing against her leg. His fingers moved further along her skin to where he felt the lining of her underwear. She separated from him and placed her head on her hand. Gently, he continued to stroke her as he placed his head on his hand as well. He smiled toward her. At first, she wondered if she should say something, but in the end figured that she might as well be honest. "There's probably something that I should tell you."

Hope was curious, but it didn't lessen his tender smile. "Yeah?"

She tilted her head to the side letting it rest on her shoulder. "I haven't really been with anyone like this. I guess to say I haven't done this before."

When her eyes searched his, he seemed a bit surprised, but that quickly went away as a smile appeared on his face. "Truth is I haven't either."

Hearing him say that had put her more at ease and even brought a relieved smile. It seemed that she was worried over nothing like what he expected out of her. Afterwards, she became curious. "You mind if I ask why?"

He looked down. "I guess I just never really found someone that I cared a lot about to try." He lifted his eyes back to her. "You?"

"Same here."

Hope placed his hand on her arm. "But when I'm with you, I feel like I could stay here with you for as long as I can." Then, he shook his head thinking that he was getting too mushy. "I'm sorry."

Anxiously, she wanted to hear more. "No. It's okay." She thought listening to him would let her know about how he felt about her. He smiled as he placed his hand underneath the strands of her hair near her neck. "That's all I want to do is just stay with you for as long as you will have me."

For a few more moments, she laid in silence staring at him and taking in his words. It made it easier for her to make her decision without any regret. She leaned in and kissed him as she placed her hand on the side of his cheek. This time, she kissed him with more passion and no longer any hesitation about going through this with him. The kiss alone was almost enough to express how she truly felt for him. He kissed back with the same amount of anxiousness and affection. He moved his body over hers as their lips stayed connected.

Minutes later, they parted as they opened their eyes to each other. Before they continued on, Lightning kept her hands on the sides of his face and stared up at him in silence. Wonder had struck across him. "Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. Just…" She felt that there was something that she needed to get off of her chest before they continued through. It was hard since she never said it to someone like him before. Hope placed his hand over hers that was on his face as he looked somewhat concerned. "What? If there's something that you want to say, then it's okay."

She thought that she should just get it out into the open despite what might happen next. Her eyes glanced to the side before she looked back at him. "I love you." Instantly, she noticed the stunned expression that came on his face. Her eyes turned to the side as her face began to heat up and turn red. It was the first time that she ever said that to a guy and ever felt strong feelings like the ones she felt for him. Whenever she was around him, overall she felt happy even if sometimes they had their disagreements. This was the first time that she thought and felt that she was ever in love.

For a few seconds, Hope remained silent as he stared at her in shock. Mostly, he was taking it all in, every word that she told him. Then, a smile came on his face as he breathed out. Lightning tried to figure out what was on his mind. Little did she know of how happy he truly was. Without saying a word, he suddenly entrapped her lips into a kiss. It caught her by surprise. When she managed to catch a break, she opened her eyes surprised. "Hope-?"

It was as if she gave him the perfect moment to say what he wanted to for a long time. "I love you too."

Once she heard that, everything she was about to say left from her mind. She just took in the expression that was on his face. She couldn't remember him being this excited in a while. She couldn't believe that things worked out like they did. Soon, his lips met with hers still keeping the smile on his face until he got more drawn in to their kisses. His hands moved along the sides of her waist. Eventually, they made their way to the edge of her dress and slid underneath. His fingers traced along her skin until he felt the material of her underwear. Slowly, he began pulling it away toward her thighs. A smirk formed on her lips as she felt his nose and forehead against hers. Along her legs, she could feel the fabric riding up as her legs were bent up toward him. With a little help and shift from her legs, he got it completely off and tossed them to the side. The only thing left to cover her body was her dress. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he leaned in closer toward her. They began to give playful kisses on and off.

As they continued on, thoughts began to plague his mind as to whether or not he was doing the right thing. The guilt that he had carried with him for so long was getting to him. Now that he knew how she felt about him, it was only right to tell her what he needed to. Barely his eyes opened with a look of distress on his face. "Light…wait… There's something I have to tell you…" As much as he wanted to say something, the way she kept kissing him made it hard for him not to give in. Her fingers reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. It was only a matter of time before he gave up on what he wanted to tell her.

Minutes later, they heard a knock on the door. At first, they ignored the sound and carried on as if it was nothing until they heard the loud knock again. It was starting to get annoying. Hope lifted his head and looked over. Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. "That better not be who I think it is." She moved from underneath him and stood up. As she approached the door, she straightened out her dress. Again, they heard the noisy knock. "Hold on. If this is Fang seeing what we're up to-." When she opened the door, she was met with surprise.

Nearby her house stood people she didn't recognize. In front of her, there was a man with brown, slicked back hair with some gray strands. He wore glasses with a brown suit. The men standing outside were in uniforms that she remembered seeing the girls at Nautilus wearing. "Are you Lieutenant Farron?"

She was curious as to how the man knew who she was. "Yes...?" Soon, the man stepped passed her. At first, she was surprised at the nerve of the man going into her house unannounced, but then quickly got angry. "What are you doing?"

The man's face turned stern once he saw who else was there with her. "So? I guess it is true."

Lightning became confused as to what he was talking about. When her eyes traveled over to Hope, his expression was just as serious as the man's. She glanced between the two of them as they stared each other down in silence. Finally her eyes landed on Hope. "Hope? What's going on here? Who is this guy?"

Hope stood up, never taking his eyes off of the man. "It's rude to step into a lady's house unannounced." For a little more time, the two stared each other down in silence until Hope spoke first. "Let's talk outside." The man listened and headed out of the house. Hope was about to head out when he felt his arm being grabbed. His eyes traveled over to a very confused and upset Lightning. "Hope. Tell me what's going on."

He could only stare at her. For now, he could at least shield her from hearing what the man was doing there. He turned toward her and placed his hands on her arms. "Light? Do me a favor. Just wait for me okay?"

She wasn't going to just let him walk away that easily without any explanation. "I want to know what's going on."

"Light please." She stared up into his pleading eyes. Finally, she sighed and walked away from him. For the time being, she would wait. He watched as she headed into the hall. Afterwards, his eyes drifted over to the door. This time, he couldn't run away from what had come back to get him. He walked outside of the door and closed it behind him so Lightning wouldn't overhear their conversation. As he walked toward the people waiting for him down the steps, he placed his hands in his pockets as his expression turned serious. "So? You finally found me. How?"

Instantly, anger rose on the man's face. "Hope?! What do you think you're doing here?! This isn't the time for you to run off and find some random woman-!"

"Watch how you talk about her!" There was no way that he was going to let the man insult Lightning. "I asked you a question first. How did you find me?"

The man relaxed, calming down somewhat. "Two girls from the Academy told us that they saw you in Nautilus." Hope turned his head to the side as his eyes drifted toward the ground. He knew he had messed up in letting those girls see him there. "They told your assistant and then we had them tell us. Afterwards, we had to use the video footage that we found in Nautilus the day they said they saw you there. Once the soldiers saw it, they recognized the woman that you were with as being a part of the military. The rest you can figure out yourself." Hope's eyes traveled back over to the man who once again started to get furious with him. "What were you thinking running away from your responsibilities at the Academy?! Do you know how much of a mess you've caused?!"

"Who cares if I would have disappeared?! I put other members in charge while I was gone!"

"That's not the point! You know exactly what you did. You took the plans that we were planning to give to the military."

Hope gave a pleading stare hoping that he would change his mind. "Dad. I told you why we can't show them those plans but you won't listen. I'm not letting them get their hands on it."

His father frowned more. He was done with all the things that Hope put the Academy through. "Pack your things. You are coming with us right now."

"I'm not going anywhere. Listen! What we're doing, people's lives could be at stake."

"That's nonsense. The military is supposed to protect us. Whatever crazy notions you have going on in your head can be easily be resolved." Hope shook his head. Again, he wasn't listening to what he tried to tell him. His father continued. "What you're causing will destroy the military's trust in us and with that, the trust of the people. We are the government that is supposed to help them." Then, his father lifted his eyes up toward the house. "That woman. It was issued to the military that we were supposed to be notified when you were found. Did she not know or was she going against orders?"

"She didn't know. I didn't tell her." Hope didn't want her getting in any trouble over something he had done.

"Regardless, now that we've found you, it will only be a matter of time before she knows. Will she not turn you in as well? After all, it is her duty."

Hope looked toward the side. He wasn't sure what Lightning would do if she knew. After lying to her, he wouldn't blame her for making him go back to the Academy. "What will it be? Will you come back with us my son?" Hope turned his eyes over to his father. At this point, he wasn't sure what else he could do.

Inside, while she sat on the couch, Lightning waited patiently as she could as her mind contemplated on what was going on. Hope had been out there with the mysterious people for a long time. Soon, she heard her door open. When she lifted her head, she saw Hope step through. He held his head down as he looked away from her. Without saying a word, he headed toward his room. Surprised, she stood up. "Hope?" When he didn't answer, she got irritated and called him again. "Hope!" He closed the door to his room.

Lightning sighed in frustration and sat back down. What was he doing now? Minutes later, he stepped out with his bags packed and ready to go. Instantly, she stood up. She became surprised once she noticed the stuff in his hands. "Hope? What are you doing?"

He placed his bags outside of the door where the few people that came picked them up for him. Hope turned to Lightning with sadness. He placed his hands against her shoulders. "Light. I'm sorry. I have to go."

She couldn't believe that he was leaving now and out of nowhere. "What? Why?"

"Hope?" When they looked over, they saw his father standing in the doorway. "Before we go, you should give me the file."

Hope's eyebrows furrowed as he felt on edge. "Why?"

His father gave him a serious look. "I don't want you destroying it."

Lightning didn't understand what was going on. "What is he talking about?"

Bartholomew turned his attention to her. "Right. You don't know. My son here-."

"My computer is in the bag. I'll give it to you as soon as we get back." Hope could see that his father was trying to push him along. That wasn't the way he wanted Lightning to hear the truth.

"I want to see it for myself once we get on the ship." Afterwards, Bartholomew stepped outside to where the other Academy members were waiting.

Lightning was surprised with what she just heard. "Son? That was your father?" Hope didn't want to admit it but he gave a nod to assure her. "Hope? What is your dad doing here? Why is he making you go away with him-?"

"I wanted to explain to you for so long." he said with a lot of remorse in his voice. Hearing him say that made her turn voiceless. "One day, I hope that you will forgive me."

"Forgive you for what? Hope you're not making any sense-." Suddenly, he pulled her in toward him and kissed her. Seeing what was holding them up, his father stepped back into the doorway. He wanted to say something but once he saw what was going on, he decided to wait quietly. Hope separated from her as he held onto her hands. "I'm sorry. Just know that I still love you." he spoke between them.

In silence, Lightning searched his eyes but it still didn't lead her to any of the answers that she was looking for.

"Let's go." Hope looked behind him to see that his father was waiting for him. He let go of her hands and headed out of the door. Lightning stood as the door closed in front of her. She snapped out of her stunned state and went toward the door. She opened it and stood outside. When she looked, she already saw Hope further down the beach than she expected him to be. She wanted to call out to him but she kept quiet. She thought on the off chance that he might look back but he didn't. Little did she know, there was several times when he wanted to look back but kept himself from doing so.

* * *

The next afternoon, there was a knock on the front door. Lightning stepped out of her room in an open robe with a tank top and shorts underneath. There was a tired look on her face. Again, she heard the knocking but wished that she didn't. When she opened the door, she saw three familiar, smiling faces. "Hi!" Serah and Vanille greeted her together.

The look on Lightning's face softened but she didn't reply with a greeting. Afterwards, the two ran pass her and headed toward Serah's room. When her eyes traveled over, she saw Fang still standing outside with an interested grin on her face. "Morning sleepyhead! You do know its afternoon right?"

Lightning crossed her arms as there was a visible frown. "Yes. I'm aware."

Fang was surprised. "Wow! I expected someone to be happier. What happened last night?"

"Not in the mood." Lightning placed her hand on the door and was about to close it but Fang put her hand on the door, stopping her. "What happened?" Lightning remained silent as she didn't want to say anything about it. "Come on! Tell me what happened. You know I'll stand here until you do."

Lightning sighed with her eyes closed. She was afraid at the thought that when she opened the door again, that Fang would be there. She stepped outside and closed the door behind her so that Serah and Vanille wouldn't overhear their conversation. Both of them sat down on the front steps. After minutes of explaining, Fang was stunned at the ending. "What? He just up and left?"

Lightning stared out toward the beach. "Once his dad came, he just packed up his stuff and went. Didn't say why."

"Did you try and see why?" Fang asked anxiously.

Lightning's eyes drifted toward the ground. "I called him but he didn't answer."

"When did you do that?"

"Earlier."

"Then try again. It wouldn't hurt." Lightning sighed with her eyes closed. A part of her wanted to again, but she was hoping that he would respond first. She didn't want to keep trying again and again just to get the same result of no answer. Fang nudged her arm with her elbow. "Go on."

Finally, Lightning pulled out her phone and called his phone. She waited but no one answered. Then, she flipped her phone closed. "No one's answering."

Fang looked toward the ground wondering what was going on. "Hmm…"

* * *

In Academia, Hope stared at the vibrating phone in his hand with Lightning's name on the screen. Eventually, the phone stopped shaking and her name disappeared replacing it with the words "one missed call". He leaned up from the chair that he was sitting in, in his office with a torn look on his face. He wanted to answer and talk to her just like when she called earlier but he never answered. The idea was in his mind that it was better that he stayed away from her. Maybe it was his father speaking or maybe he just wanted to wait to explain things to her later. Either way, he looked down in regret.

"Director." Hope lifted his head once he heard a woman call him. Instantly, he knew that it meant that he had to go. He left his phone on his desk as he had to attend speaking to his fellow scientists. Partly what assignments he had to give them next and partly to explain the excuse that his father gave him to tell them for why he disappeared all those months. Either way, it didn't matter what was going on. The guilt and regret he carried with him wasn't too far away.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! I hope that you will stick around for the next one! It's going to be something! As always, let me know what you think and until the next chapter!_


	14. A Harsh Truth, A Broken Bond

_**Author's Note:** Hi everyone! Thank you for keeping up with the story, sending in reviews, and adding this to your alerts and favorites! Be prepared for this chapter because things are going to get crazy!_

* * *

_Chapter 14: A Harsh Truth, A Broken Bond:_

After her few days were up in New Bodhum, Lightning headed to the conference between the military and the Academy in Academia. After settling in her hotel room, she headed for her first meeting on the first day of being there. In a small conference room, she sat in one of the chairs. Along with her were the two other council members from the Guardian Corp and Nabaat, Raines, and Rosch from PSICOM along with their council leader and general over the whole military. Nabaat glance down at her watch before she adjusted her glasses. "Well this is rude. You would think for scientists they would show up on time."

Raines crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "Who will be speaking with us?"

"From the Academy Team Alpha. Our top team will be meeting with their top team." The council leader answered.

Nabaat became more interested. "Ah! So does that mean that the Director will be joining us?"

The general nodded. "Mostly likely."

A smirk appeared on Nabaat's lips. "I would like to hear the story of how he went missing all of those months."

Rosch looked over at her. "The Academy still hasn't told us how they found him in time."

While sitting at the table, Lightning was listening in and out as her thoughts traveled back to a few days ago. She thought that she shouldn't dwell on it, but still there was time before the meeting started. Hope left without explanation and she didn't understand why.

* * *

In the hallway, Hope was walking with his assistant along with a few other people from his team toward the conference room. His assistant handed him the notes that were on a small device that he would need for the meeting. "Thanks Alyssa."

Alyssa gave a quick smile before pulling him along faster. "We have to hurry. We're already late for our meeting. You know how military people can be."

Hope was in no rush to get there for he was afraid of what would happen next. He just hoped for his sake that he would be talking to the right military people and not the ones who were after the plans that he and the Academy made. He scanned over the list that he had in his hands. "Do we know how many will be attending?"

"Seven." Alyssa answered. "Three from PSICOM, three from the Guardian Corp, and one over all."

As she spoke, Hope went over the list of names that would be attending. His finger ran along the screen to check if there were any that he should be worried about. Once he spotted one name, his eyes widened in shock. "What? No." he spoke out loud. Right then, he came to a sudden stop. The other members were curious as to why.

Alyssa became concerned to his reaction. "Director?"

By his finger, he saw her name clear on his screen: Lieutenant Lightning Farron. Alyssa peeked over to see what had him so rattled but he took his hand away and closed his screen. "What's wrong?"

Hope shook his head. There was no way he could face her now. He knew the moment she saw him, right away she would realize the truth. "I can't do this. Just go. Start this meeting without me."

Alyssa and the other members didn't understand it. Hope was about to walk away but Alyssa grabbed his arm. "Snap out of it Director! We can't do this meeting without you. You're the one with the most knowledge on what we have to talk about today." She pulled him along toward the room until he eventually walked on his own alongside them.

Inside of the conference room, the soldiers looked over once they heard the door open. Hope dreaded the moment of walking in. Even on the off chance that Lightning wouldn't be there, he knew that wasn't possible. She would be there. The only thing to do now was to walk in and take what he had coming from her. He stepped in front of the room to the center of the table. "I'm sorry everyone for our lateness. It was my fault."

Once Lightning saw him, her eyes widened as she became stunned. His eyes traveled to her with a look of regret. Already, he could see her expression as clear as day. "I'm sorry."

Lightning and Hope were the only ones who knew that the apology was meant personally toward her. Without thinking, Lightning stood up from her seat. Hope's expression didn't change as he kept his eyes on her. The others soldiers were surprised and confused as to what she was doing standing up. Lightning stared at him with the same stunned expression. She couldn't believe it. Like that, she figured out everything. The truth hit her in the face without mercy.

"Did you have something to say Lieutenant Farron?" the general asked.

Nabaat looked curiously between the two. She was starting to suspect that Hope and Lightning were having a personal and silent conversation between the two of them. It was interesting to her. Lightning stared at Hope a few more seconds before she sat down. "No. Sorry sir."

The general turned his attention back to Hope. "If you could precede Director Estheim."

Hope glanced at Lightning one more time to see that she had cut off all eye contact between the two of them. Her eyes stared down toward the table as her arms were crossed. Afterwards, Hope nodded toward the general. "Yes."

Throughout his presentation of new weapons that they were prepared to offer the military, he glanced a few times at Lightning, but she still refused to acknowledge him. All he could do now was hope to catch her before she left and not let her get away from him if she tried to. Nabaat adjusted her glasses. "Director. I believe that your new designs for more powerful gunblades will be effective especially for our soldiers that use them. Wouldn't you agree Lieutenant Farron? You yourself are a wielder of that kind of weapon."

Out of all times, why did Nabaat have to point her out? She wasn't sure how she could get out of the question but was left with no choice but to say something to Hope which she wasn't ready for at all. "Yes."

Nabaat arched her eyebrow noticing that she was more quiet than usual when asked a question. "Any opinions as far as field use that would be beneficial for the Academy to know? After all, there will be certain soldiers going out into the field with them."

Lightning looked at her but then her eyes traveled to Hope. Her expression turned serious. She wasn't going to let something that he did affect her duties to the military. Without taking her eyes off of him, she explained the strong points in his designs and asked questions on some of the other aspects. As Hope spoke back to her, she could feel her anger growing inside of her. Still, she kept her composure and thoughts aside about what he had done to her the best that she could. After he was finished, Lightning crossed her arms. "Fair enough. With a sharp blade and making it with an unbreakable metal, it would be easy to strike someone down?"

Hope nodded. "Yes."

Lightning opened her eyes and glared at him. "Or catch them quickly and stab them in the back right?"

Hope flinched at her words along with her piercing glare. He just hoped that she didn't plan to do that to him. "Yes... That's possible..."

Nabaat smiled. "You paint a colorful picture Lieutenant."

"Well sometimes that can happen when an enemy or ally can do the same thing to you especially when you let your guard down." Lightning glanced over at Hope. He figured that underneath that military reference she was talking about what he did to her. How he broke her trust.

Nabaat continued on. "Well said. Now I have question about something you showed us earlier."

After the meeting was over, Lightning stepped out as soon as she could into the hall. Out of the corner of his eye, Hope spotted her leaving. He couldn't lose his chance to speak with her alone. He turned to the other members of his team. "You guys can pack this stuff up right?" They answered yes as they curious as to why he was in a hurry. Alyssa stood up as she looked toward the door.

In the hall, Lightning kept walking fast. She couldn't believe that she had been so naïve. The whole time Hope had been lying to her when he told her he would never do that. How could she have gotten caught up with him like she did? "Light!"

Suddenly, she felt her arm being grabbed. In a flash of pent up anger, she quickly turned around. Her fist swung around and met with his stomach. She was pretty sure she knew who she punched.

Hope placed his hand over the spot she struck. It was hard to breathe. He kneeled down keeping his hand over his stomach and his other hand on the ground for support. "Okay…I deserved that…" Never did he think he would feel her wrath ever. Now that he did, he really wished that he didn't make her angry. That hit to the stomach was really painful. There was so much that she wanted to say or just yell at him but it was hard to know where to start. Instead, she turned around as she breathed out and continued walking. "Wait…Don't…go yet."

Lightning stopped in place. There wasn't anything he could say that could make up for what he did. She looked back and waited until he got up off the ground. The pain eased somewhat but it was still hard for it to go away. She stepped closer to him so no one else walking by would hear their conversation. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Light. I'm sorry." he apologized with a look of remorse.

Regardless of his apology, there was anger clearly displayed on her face. "You're not sorry. This whole time you've been lying to me. I could have gotten in trouble over you if they knew that you were at my house for all these months. In Nautilus, I asked you if you would ever lie to me and you looked me straight in the face and said that you never would and like an idiot I believed you." She turned around from him as she crossed her arms. "This whole time I've been so stupid."

"No. You haven't. It was my fault. All of it." His eyes drifted toward the ground.

Lightning looked back at him but then her eyes traveled toward the ground as well. "I suspected that whole time that you were the Director but I looked away because I wanted to believe in that lie and fooled myself into believing it just by hearing you say that you would never lie to me."

Hope stepped closer hoping that she wouldn't hit him again. "For so long I wanted to tell you what was going on and about me but I wasn't sure if-."

"You didn't think you could trust me. You thought that I would turn you in like ordered to." she answered for him.

Hope felt that the situation was more complicated than what she believed. "It wasn't that I didn't trust you just…"

She poked her finger at his chest. "That's exactly what it was."

An upset look came across his face. "But wouldn't you?"

Lightning turned silent as she thought about it. Her eyes lowered toward the floor. Hope continued to stare at her waiting for an answer. "I…" She closed her eyes as she sighed.

He gave her a serious look. "You would have. Don't lie to yourself."

She opened her eyes. "Yes. I'll admit when we first met, if I was ordered to bring you in I would have but now… If you just would have told me what was going on, I might not have. You just have to tell me why you were keeping this from me."

Hope's eyes drifted toward the side. "I did it to protect you."

Confusion became written upon her face. "Protect me? Protect me from what?"

There was a pleading hint to his eyes hoping that she would listen to him. "I'll explain if you just give me the chance."

She didn't understand why he was still waiting to talk about it. "Why not explain it now?"

"I can't. This needs to be something done in private. I'll tell you everything that you want to know. It's a lot to ask but I need you to trust me on this one."

Lightning searched his eyes. Once again, she decided to lower her guard to give him one more chance to explain what was happening. "If you lie to me again, then you can forget it."

A faint smile appeared on his lips. "Understood." Seeing that Lightning decided to trust him again, he felt at ease. He exhaled thinking back to earlier. "You pack quite a punch."

She placed her hand on her hip. "What can I say? Don't piss me off. Learn that next time."

Hope laughed a little or as much as his hurt stomach would allow him. Soon, he lifted his eyes up to her. "I'm truly sorry about what I didn't tell you."

She still felt uneasy, but for now she would go along with hearing him out. "It's going to take some time but telling me the truth would be a good start."

He let out a nod. "Right. We should go somewhere where we can talk about-."

Suddenly, they heard a voice call out for him in the distance. "Director!" Both Hope and Lightning looked to see Alyssa run over. She wrapped her arms around Hope's arm as she leaned her head against his arm and smiled. "Hey! I was wondering where you went." Lightning was curious as to why she was hugging his arm like that. Hope knew how this must have looked to Lightning so he pushed Alyssa away. Alyssa let go of him and only grabbed his hand. "We better get ready for the next presentation or see how the other teams are doing. It'll be a way to kill the day together."

Even more, Lightning became confused and suspicious especially seeing the woman hold Hope's hand. "Who are you?"

A worried look came on Hope's face as he moved Alyssa's hand away from his. His eyes darted over to Lightning. "We should probably get going."

"Oh right. You're the soldier at the meeting." Alyssa held out her hand. "I'm Alyssa Zaidelle. I'm Hope's assistant." Lightning relaxed a little but didn't shake the girl's hand. Nervously, Alyssa put her hand away seeing that she wasn't going to shake hers. "Okay." Soon, Alyssa turned her attention to Hope and smiled up at him. "I was thinking that we could stop and grab lunch before we go to anymore meetings."

"Probably not Alyssa. I have a lot more work I need to do." Mainly, he wanted to focus more on fixing things with Lightning.

Lightning grew more suspicious as to how the two were acting with each other. She seemed to be all flirtatious with him while he seemed to try and avoid everything that she does. "Are you usually all touchy with your boss like this?"

"You're right. We should probably act more business appropriate but I can't help it." Alyssa turned to Hope who was smiling nervously and wished he was out of there now. "I haven't seen him for months and I missed him."

Lightning could see that too many signs pointed to the obvious. "You two seem really close."

A grin appeared on Alyssa. "It's hard to act professional around him sometimes but we are close. In fact-."

Hope looked upset and planned on stopping her from speaking any further. "Alyssa. That's enough."

Alyssa waved her hand as if it was no big deal. "There's no use hiding it Hope. I'm sure that even she can see it."

"There's nothing to see." he replied with a serious tone. His voice had raised a little.

"Let her finish Director." Once he heard her voice, Hope looked over at Lightning who had her arms crossed. Already, he could see her anger growing. "Obviously, she wants to tell what you two are."

Alyssa smiled toward her. "I still feel like the lucky one. The Director and I have been dating for some time now."

As much as it shouldn't have come as a surprise to her with all the hints that were there in front of her now, it did to Lightning. "Dating? How long?"

"Oh!" Alyssa placed her finger to her lips as she lifted her eyes. "We've been together for months but it seems longer since I've been his girlfriend." Instantly, she returned back to grinning like a schoolgirl that was in love.

Suddenly, she felt Hope slip away from her. He stepped toward Lightning who stepped back. There was a look of worry on his face. He knew he had to be careful with how he approached her. This had become a ticking time bomb waiting to happen now.

At that moment, Lightning realized that his lying was worse than she thought. Unable to look at him any longer, quickly she turned and walked away. "Light!" Hope ran after her. Alyssa was curious as to what was going on. She didn't understand why the woman seemed shocked once she answered her questions and why Hope was now chasing after her.

Lightning held her head down as she continued walking fast. She didn't care where she went. All she knew was that she had to get away from him. Unfortunately, she couldn't. He stepped in front of her, learning his lesson from last time not to grab her in any way. "Light! I can explain-!"

Quickly, her hand rose up and slapped him hard across the face making his head turn and leave a bad red spot. "You lying bastard!"

Nearby, a few of the soldiers that were with Nabaat notice the scene going on. She turned, interesting in what was going on. She knew there was some tension between them in the conference room, but for her to slap a higher ranking executive in the face, there had to be more going on than what she read into. At that moment, Lightning didn't care who saw or heard. All she knew was that her anger grew a lot more than before. Alyssa looked worried. "What are you doing?! You can't hit him like that!"

Hope held out his arm separating Alyssa from Lightning. "No. It's all right." He didn't want to risk a fight or Lightning hurting Alyssa.

Alyssa baled her fists upset. "No it's not! She had no right to hit you!"

"No. She had every right to." Hope kept his head down with his hand pressed to the side of his face and his eyes staring toward the floor. His breath had become staggered with the intense pain he felt coursing through him. Alyssa didn't understand what he meant by that. "Please Alyssa. Give me a minute alone with her."

Lightning wanted to object then and there so that Alyssa would hear what he did but then she thought about it. No longer did she want to be a part of anything that involved them. Alyssa nodded. "All right." She walked away but stayed nearby as she was curious to see what was going on.

Hope turned his attention back to the furious woman in front of him. "Light-."

"Don't you even! To think, I was about to sleep-. That I actually said-." Her eyes traveled toward the side not allowing herself to finish that sentence. Hope reached out toward her but she stepped back. "Stay away from me! Don't talk to me at all! I never want to see you again! You got that?!" she whispered loudly.

"Let me explain-." he tried to plead with her but she would hear nothing of it.

"No! This is how it's going to be. I could handle the lying to me about who you were but you were keeping this from me as well. You weren't even planning to tell me."

"Yes I was-."

"When? The next morning after I would have already been with you and your dad never came to take you back? Weeks from now when they would eventually find you or never?" Hope turned silent. Lightning waited for him to come up with some other excuse but she could tell he wasn't going to saying anything. She shook her head. "You are pathetic and now…" She knew if she said it, maybe she would get over him faster. "You mean nothing to me." Afterwards, she turned around and walked off as fast as she could.

Hope watched as she disappeared. Grief had overtaken him. Alyssa stepped over and placed her hand on his arm. Like the other spectators, she didn't hear their conversation but could clearly see the resentment on Lightning's face and the desperation on Hope's. "Hope? What's going on? Why did she attack you?"

"Don't worry about it." Hope took off walking. Nothing could excuse what he done but he still felt as if he should try to work something out so that she could forgive him. The words she told him had stung his heart hard.

* * *

_So that's it for that. A lot of drama going on. I hope that you will stick around to see what will happen next. Until next time. _


	15. Protect Me My Painful Heart

_**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Thank you for keeping up with the story, sending in reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts! I really appreciate all of it and thank each and everyone. So last chapter was kind of a sad chapter for me to write. A lot of stuff went down but I was really glad with all the feedback I got. I hope that you will enjoy this chapter! Warning: if you thought last chapter was crazy, just wait until you see what happens next!_

* * *

_Chapter 15: Protect Me My Painful Heart:_

In her hotel room, Lightning slammed her door close. Her eyes searched around the room for something to possibly break, but she didn't feel like paying for any damages to the room. Finally, she turned face down on her bed and head buried in her pillow. In her mind, she didn't know how many words she called herself similar to the word foolish. Most of all, she couldn't believe that she actually fell for him and how easily he hurt her heart just like that. As she buried herself further into her pain and pillow, on the other side of the room there was timer that was steadily going and counting down.

At the front desk in the hotel, Hope requested to know where Lightning's room was. After regained some of his composure, he was ready to try and talk to her again. There were many things that he wanted to explain to her, but ultimately he didn't know whether she would forgive him or not. It seemed farfetched that she would give him another chance. The man from the front desk returned and gave him the room number he requested. Hope thanked him and headed up to her room.

Inside of her room, Lightning heard a knock at her door. Her body moved a little but she wasn't ready to get up. She thought about letting whoever was at the door knock until they eventually went away, but for all she knew, it could have been one of the officers from the council looking for her for something. She lifted her head. "Who is it?"

There was no answer. Curiously, she stood up and went to the door. "Who is it?" she asked again.

"Lightning. It's Hope. Please open the door." He wasn't sure if he should say who he was but it didn't matter. As soon as she saw it was him, she could easily kick him out or slam the door in his face if she wanted to. Lightning leaned against the door with her arms crossed. "Light. I know you're there. I just want to talk to you please."

More, a frown tugged at her lips. She could feel her anger from earlier returning. "I thought I told you that I never wanted to see or talk to you ever again."

"I know and I'm sorry but I can't leave things as we left them." Hope leaned his arm against the door and pressed his forehead into his arm. His eyes lowered to a close. She had no idea how much regret he was feeling right then. "I know that I've lied and I have hurt you. For now, I'm not asking for your forgiveness, but I feel that I at least owe you an explanation as to why I kept the truth from you." Lightning's eyes drifted to the side. As much as she didn't want to let him in, she did want to hear why. Then again, what he could tell her was more lies. "Please. Give me five minutes." Afterwards, things turned quiet.

Suddenly, he felt the door open. He managed to hold himself up before he could fall inside. When he lifted his head, he saw the upset look on Lightning's face. "How did you find out where my room is?"

"I asked the front desk." he answered.

She sighed as she rolled her eyes and walked further into her room. "And here I thought those people were supposed to keep your privacy." Hope closed the door behind him and walked over to her. Lightning extended her arm as a way of stopping him and keeping some distance between the two of them. "Stay on your side."

He gave a slight nod. "Fair enough."

She began pacing around with her arms crossed. "Start explaining. You only got five minutes."

Hope looked down, trying to think of the first thing he wanted to say. Soon, he lifted his head. "First of all, I wanted to say that I was sorry for lying to you this whole time."

Lightning sat on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed. "Your sorrys don't mean anything to me right now."

His eyes drifted toward the ground, but then he slowly stepped over toward her. "Lightning. My intention was never to hurt you nor was it my intention to fall in love with you but it still happened. I ran away to New Bodhum for a reason and that was because there was something that I needed to protect."

So far what he told her wasn't anything that she hadn't already heard before. After listening, she stood up. "You told me that. Tell me something else I don't know."

He watched as she walked by him. "All right. I wanted to tell you everything. A few times I tried to but it just never came out."

She looked back as she arched her eyebrow. "Was one of those things about your relationship with your assistant?"

"Yes. Believe me when I say that I tried to resist you but it just got harder every time I was around you. Before I knew it, I couldn't stay away from you. That night, the thought crossed my mind that I should tell you but then you told me that you love me and then things got heated-."

"I did love you. Let's get that straight." Her frown increased more.

After she said that, he gave his head a slight shake. Nothing inside of him could believe that. "You're going to tell me now that after all this time, you just got over it that quick?" His expression softened, hoping that she would retract her statement.

Lightning became silent and turned away from him. Only her sincere answer came to mind but that was something she wasn't ready to admit out loud. Hope sighed but then sat on the edge of her bed. While things were quiet, he started hearing a beeping noise. Curious as to what it was, he lifted his eyes up toward her air conditioner and saw a box with wires and a timer. He became confused but then realized that the red numbers on the counter was counting down. When he read the numbers, there were only ten seconds left. Cautiously, Hope stood up as he was on edge. "Light…? Did you time something…?"

She looked back at him, confused to his question. "No. Why?"

Hearing that had only made him more worried. With five seconds left, he rushed over to Lightning and grabbed her hand. "We need to go!"

She struggled against him. She had no idea what had gotten into him. "What? I'm not running off with you anywhere."

Hope didn't have time for this. "Just go!" He pulled Lightning along as hard as he could out toward the hallway. Eventually, she followed his pull.

Suddenly, there was an explosion. The blast made them fly back against the wall in the hallway. Instinctively, Hope used his body to cover over Lightning's so that none of the debris would hit her. The glass broke from the windows and flew outside into the air over the city. Seconds later, Hope and Lightning lifted their heads as their eyes traveled to the charred room. At the scene, her eyes widened. If he wasn't there or any later, she could have died. It was then that she realized he had just saved her life.

Hope sat up and helped her to sit up as well. His hands grabbed onto her arms, concerned. "Are you okay?"

As she stared at him speechless, all she could think was that she couldn't believe that he saved her. She regained some of her composure but was still a bit stunned. "Yeah." she whispered.

In the hall, a few civilians quickly stepped out of their rooms along with some of the soldiers that were staying on the same floor for the conference. All of them looked worried, surprised, and confused at what was going on. Hope stood up and held out his hand for Lightning to take. Without thinking, she took his hand and stood up. The general of the military rushed over, concerned. "Lieutenant Farron?! Director Estheim?! Are you all right?"

She nodded as she straightened out her uniform. "Yes sir."

"What happened?" the general asked anxiously.

"I'm not sure." she replied. She didn't understand what was going on either.

"There was some kind of detonation device in Lightning's room." Hope looked toward the ground. To think of the possibility was a little insane but it was the only explanation that he could come up with now. "I think that…someone was trying to kill her."

Lightning became uneasy hearing his theory. It was hard to believe that he was right. If it was true, she had no idea why. "I don't get it. Why would someone try to kill me?"

"Could it have been a mistake? Maybe they meant to plant it in someone else's room." the general tried to come up with a possibility.

Hope's eyes drifted toward the side. "I don't know… It seemed convenient that the timer went off while Lightning was in the room. Someone wouldn't just randomly start a bomb hoping that she would be inside there."

The general felt that Hope's point made more sense. It could have been a possible attack aimed for her. His expression grew determined. "Then we'll find out who's behind this. In the mean time, I'll get soldiers to watch after you."

"That won't be necessary. I can handle this." Lightning tried to assure him.

The general didn't want to take the chance. "We don't need you dying here."

Hope stepped over in front of the military man. "Please general. Leave the care of Lieutenant Farron to me."

Lightning was surprised that Hope would make that kind of offer, but the General was worried by his request. "No Director. If there is someone after Lieutenant Farron, then you will be in danger as well."

Hope wasn't concern about the risks that were involved. "I have an idea. Please general hear me out." In response, the general closed his eyes as he let out a sigh. It didn't seem that Hope was going to back down from his idea and listen to him for his own safety. Hope continued explaining his idea. "If you leave soldiers around to guard her, then it will just continue to make her an easy target for someone to attempt to kill her again. If you leave her with me, I will make sure to keep her out of sight during the duration of this conference. I suggest keeping soldiers around to protect her in attending meetings."

Lightning wanted to speak against the idea. She felt that she didn't need someone watching her constantly. "Sir! I can handle things. I can find out who did this."

The general was concerned as he heard both of them out. As much as he wanted to disagree with both of them, he had to admit that only one of the plans he heard so far sounded more effective than his. "I have to agree that out of all our ideas that Director Estheim's is the best. Are you sure about this?"

Lightning's eyes darted between Hope and the general. After everything that Hope did, there was no way she was ready to stay with him all the time. "What? No!"

Hope gave a determined look to let the general know that he was serious. "Yes."

The general scratched his head a little as he looked away. This was the best plan that he could go with for now and put all his trust in Hope. "Keep her out of sight. I won't ask you any further about what you're planning to do. Standing out here in the open like this is not the best idea. Whoever attempted to kill her could be watching us as we speak."

"Please do not let anyone know of this and I will do the same. We're not sure who we can trust." Hope advised him.

In response, the General nodded.

"Sir! I have to object to this!" Lightning continued to fight against it once more. She completely disagreed to Hope's plan.

The general gave her a serious look. "Farron no more suggests. This is an order."

Lightning's eyes turned toward the ground. This could not be happening to her. How could this day get any worse? First, she found out that the man she cared about lied about everything since the day they met, then someone tried to kill her, and now she was forced to stay with the same man she was furious with more than anything. No way was she going to stand for it.

The general walked away leaving the two alone. Hope's eyes followed over in his direction as he tried to figure out what to do next. Soon, Lightning came into his vision as she was walking away from him. "Where are you going?"

She glared back at him. "First I'm getting away from you and then I'm going to find out who tried to kill me." Hope stepped in front of her and pulled her away from curious spectators that were standing around. "What are you doing? Let go of me."

He did what she said and released her as he placed her close to the wall. "Listen. I told the general that I would look out for you and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Lightning glared into his eyes. The back of her mind told her not to give into his eyes and back down. "There is no way I'm staying anywhere near you."

"Well now you don't have a choice because I'm not going to go back on my word."

She rolled her eyes. She was about to turn and walk away but she soon saw a hand blocking her way. Hope kept his hand pressed against the wall, leaving his arm in front of her not to get pass. It seemed like the only way to get her to listen was the Lightning way, which he hoped didn't result in anymore hits from her. "Look at what almost happened to you today. Is that what you want?" Her eyes traveled down and to the side as she sighed. "I know that you must hate me right now but I don't care. The only thing that matters to me now is keeping you safe." He placed his hand against her cheek which made her eyes return to his. "I want to protect you. Four eyes are better than two. I'll be there watching your back."

Since she was silent, he took it as a sign that she was going to listen to him. He looked over toward the people standing around to see that the PSICOM officers had come on the scene and stopped in front of the general to see what was going on. Hope felt uneasy about them being there. The less people that saw Lightning the better. "Come on. Let's go." He took her hand and walked off pulling her along. They went in the opposite direction of where the crowd was.

Nabaat glanced over and caught a glimpse of the two leaving. Curiously, she wondered what they were up to.

Lightning followed Hope to the stairs and started going upwards. She lifted her head to see that he was a few steps ahead of her. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe without you being noticed. For all we know, the person who set the bomb in your room might think you're already dead. Still, we don't know who caused it."

She closed her eyes as she looked upset. "This is ridiculous. Who would want to kill me? This has to be a mistake."

Hope stopped on one of the steps and looked back at her. "Mistake or not, I'm not taking that chance."

As Lightning stared up at him, she saw the worry in his eyes. She turned her eyes aside as she pouted. Just because he showed that he cared for her, saved her, and was now protecting her didn't mean that she had forgotten the other things that she was still furious at him for.

They continued on until they reached one of the higher floors. When Hope opened the door to the stairwell and looked around, there was a small crowd gathered in the hallway but most of them were his scientists. "Come on." he whispered. He grabbed her hand and quietly sneaked through the hall while the others were distracted talking among each other. Finally, he made it to his room and unlocked the door. He let Lightning in first before the scientists noticed that he was there. When they asked about what was going on, Hope just smiled and acted as if he didn't know. After ending their conversation, he stepped inside of his room and closed the door. He sighed in relief that no one saw Lightning.

Lightning was standing in the room with her arms crossed. "What now?"

He headed toward her. "For now, you'll stay here in my room until later. At least until it calms down."

Her eyes lowered to the side onto the floor. "Of course you would bring me here." she muttered.

He became a little upset by her comment. "I didn't plan this." Afterwards, he breathed out as he closed his eyes. Once he relaxed, he extended his hand toward his bed. "Just rest for now."

She sighed and sat down on the edge of his bed. There wasn't much they could do at this point right now. He walked over and sat beside her. "So? Do you have any idea of why someone might want to hurt you?"

Lightning closed her eyes as she crossed her arms. "If I had a clue, then I would be hurting some people right now as we speak."

Hope grinned a little at her remark. He wouldn't put it pass her to go after who did this right away. Shortly after, a gentle smile appeared on his lips. "I'm glad you're okay. If I didn't get there in time, I don't want to think about what could've happen." He reached over toward her. With his hand, he caressed the strands of her pink hair and softly moved his fingers along her jaw line. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Lightning turned her head as she closed her eyes. "Don't." At that moment, she wondered what was going on with her. The anger she felt toward him didn't come to save her. In fact, it felt as if it was buried deep inside. Yes while she would always thank him for saving her life, she wasn't ready to forgive him yet. At his touch, she felt her body soften toward him. What was it that he doing to her? Her own feelings and body betrayed her. As much as she wanted him to stop, he still didn't. With his glove, he still continued to caress her skin down to her neck. When she lifted her blue eyes up to his emerald ones, all she could wish was for things to be as they once were when they were happy. She wouldn't have this battle going on inside of her. Why did her heart still carry love for him? All she wanted to do was just take her heart out and maybe the feelings would stop but that wasn't possible.

"Stop it!" Finally, she pulled away from him and stood up from the bed. She held onto her arms as she turned her back toward him. Now wasn't the time for her to give into that desire. Her strong front had to be effective against him somehow.

As Hope stared at her, he felt as if he shouldn't have touched her but he wanted to feel close to her as they once were. Afterwards, he stood up from the bed as he held his head down. His silver hair covered over his eyes. "I'm sorry." he whispered.

Nearby, she could hear what he said. Her eyes lowered more toward the floor still feeling hurt. When she looked back, she saw him heading toward the door. She was curious as to what he was doing. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see how things are going out there before we make our next move. I'll be back." In silence, she watched as he left. Lightning exhaled as she closed her eyes and sat on the edge of the bed. She didn't like all this waiting around and thought about going out there, but instead she decided to listen to him. She couldn't risk getting herself killed. After all, she still needed to go back to New Bodhum for Serah. She didn't need both their parents and her gone too. There she waited first searching the room to make sure that it wasn't rigged with an explosive as well and then sat in silence. Eventually, she lied down and closed her eyes. For the time being, she rested as Hope suggested until she fell asleep.

* * *

_And that's it for this chapter! Thank you for reading! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update the next one!_


	16. Provide Me

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has kept up with the story, sent in reviews, and added this to your favorites and alerts! With the reviews I read, I was interested and happy to hear what and who you guys thought might be behind the attack. Are some of the theories correct? Keep reading to find out! I hope that you will enjoy the next chapter! _

* * *

_Chapter 16: Provide Me: _

Sometime later, Hope returned back to his hotel room. When he looked over, he saw Lightning sleeping on his bed. It was good to see that she was okay and resting but he was surprised that she could sleep after what happened. Soon after, she woke up, hearing noises from nearby. When she opened her eyes, she saw Hope before he got ready to leave the room again. "Hope?" She sat up as he stepped back into her sight. "What's happening?"

"For now, everything is okay. The hotel just convinced everyone staying here that it was an accident so that they wouldn't worry and the soldiers are investigating the room you were staying in. Right now, I'm going to head down to the front desk."

"Why?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not letting you stay in my room. Anyone who comes here could find you and we can't risk that so I getting you another one."

"That might be okay…" She figured that his idea was the best one that could be done right now.

"As long as no one knows where you've gone and..." Nervously, he turned his eyes away from her. He knew the next part that he would tell her wouldn't make her the least bit happy but it had to be done. "It will be one that we will be sharing together…" he spoke lowly.

Lightning's eyes lifted more in surprise once she heard him but then her expression quickly changed to upset. "No. I'm not sharing a room with you."

Hope looked serious. "I said that I would keep you out of sight and look after you so that means that I will be helping to provide anything that you'll need."

Lightning crossed her arms as she turned her head away. Since she didn't say anything, he turned and started walking away. "Hold on."

When he looked back, he saw Lightning catching up behind him. Instantly, he knew what she was up to and wanted to stop her. It was too risky. "No way. You're not going with me."

"Yes I am." The serious look on her face implied that she wasn't going to back down from going.

He turned around to her. "The point of you not being seen is not to be seen."

She placed her hand on her hip. "I can handle myself. I'll be on the lookout. Besides, I'll have to eventually move anyway."

Hope still wanted to disagree against the idea but he didn't want to risk her being seen even if she decided to go out on her own. He was afraid that if she left the room without him, she could get caught or hurt. Seeing that he couldn't convince her otherwise, it was better that he stayed with her. "Just stay close."

Hope and Lightning made it down to the front lobby where there weren't as many people as before. The man at the front desk lifted his head and became surprised at who he saw. "Director Estheim? How may I help you today?"

Hope placed his hand on top of the counter. "I need to know if you have any other rooms available."

The attendant gave him a curious look. He thought about asking if there were any concerns with his own room, but then quietly searched on his computer for what he requested. As he was searching, Hope and Lightning continued to look around to make sure that no one they recognized saw them or for anyone suspicious that might have caused a threat. The attendant continued typing on his computer. "Anything you were looking for in particular?"

"Just a room for two or so people." Hope answered him.

The attendant's eyes moved across the screen back and forth. "There are not many rooms available due to the conference. Let's see... I see that we do have a honeymoon suite."

"No way." Instantly Lightning frowned, believing that was crossing the line if he got that one for them to stay in. Hope turned to her. The thought that they would be sharing a room like that together he did admit would make him a little happy, but her safety came first. "Come on. If this is the only room left then we should take it."

More she became angry with him. "You think that for one second I would crawl much less sleep in the same bed as you?!"

"I'm not asking you to!" He returned the same tone as her.

Nervously, the attendant grew silent as the two started arguing and continued to look on the computer to help them stop. Then, he found something. "I have a two bedroom available."

Once they heard him, Hope and Lightning turned their attention back to the man behind the desk. She looked upset as she leaned her hand against the top of the desk. "Then why didn't you say anything before?"

The attendant was worried about answering her. "I just… found it?"

Hope was relieved that the man was able to find a room. "Then we'll take that one, but first I need you to put the room under a different name."

The attendant was surprised by his request but also uneasy. "Director? I-."

"It is very important that you do so and please you cannot let anyone know about this."

The attendant wasn't sure about doing so since it was against the rules. "But I can't-."

Lightning stepped closer. "Listen. There are some dangerous people after us so we really need our names not to show up. As long as he paid for it, does it really matter?"

The attendant looked toward the side. He still wasn't sure but it did seem important by the way they spoke. "I guess… for the time being it could be under a different name as long as a correction is made later." By his tone, he tried his best to emphasize that a correction needed to be made later.

Hope looked anxious. It seemed reasonable and he wanted to do what was necessary to keep Lightning safe. "Yes! I can do that."

The attendant turned his eyes back to his computer. "Then what name would you like it to be put under?"

After coming up with a name, they settled things with the room. Hope gave a slight smile toward the attendant. "Thank you." Lightning and him turned and headed toward the elevator.

On the other side of the desk, Nabaat walked out with a few soldiers following behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she notice Hope step in toward the elevator, but didn't see Lightning who was already inside. The two exchanged glances. Nabaat turned fully toward him which made Hope uneasy. He stepped inside of the elevator and pressed the close button so that the door would close quickly. Then, he pressed one of the floor buttons but it wasn't the right one to their floor. It was two floors up from the one they were heading to. Lightning was a little surprised at what he did and wondered why he seemed in a hurry. "Why did you go to another floor?"

Still, he felt a bit of uneasy. "Just in case someone was watching where we were going."

"Hmm…" Lightning didn't argue against it. It seemed like the smart thing to do. They got off on the floor that he pressed for and walked through the empty hallway toward the stairs. They traveled up two floors and eventually made it to their new room. Once they stepped inside, it was just as the attendant said. It had two beds more than big enough for the two of them alone and the same set ups as their rooms they had before. Lightning looked around and then headed toward the bed near the window.

"Don't go too close." Hope warned. The thought crossed his mind that someone could spot them or be watching them from the window.

She looked back at him. "I'm sure it's fine."

Still, Hope was concerned. "Just don't sleep there. It would probably be better that away." He reached over and pulled out his phone from his pocket. "Anyway you can settle in if you want. I still have a few things that need to be taken care of."

"Like what?" she asked curiously.

Hope turned around to her. "If you need to clean up, you can use my clothes for the time being. In the meantime, I figured that your things that you brought with you were destroyed in that explosion. I wanted to help by getting you some new clothes and other stuff you might need."

While the offer sounded nice, she didn't want him buying her anything. "No thanks. I'm fine."

"Oh come on Light. You can't stay in those clothes for the whole conference. What are you going to sleep in at night?"

She crossed her arms. "Nothing if I have to."

Hope shrugged. "You can if you want to, but when we're under attack you're not going to have time to change or anything to change into."

"Whatever I decide to sleep in don't try to sneak into my bed." Her eyes glared at him as warning.

"Wouldn't think of it. Either way, I'm going to make sure that you have everything you could need. Excuse me." He turned and began walking away toward the other side of the room.

Her eyes followed him. Finally, she sighed with her eyes closed. If she was going to go along with his idea, and he was leaving her with no choice planning to get her clothes regardless, she at least wanted to pick out her own clothes and not let him do so. When he looked over, he saw a hand out in front of him. "Clothes." Hope figured what she meant and went into his bag. He handed her a white shirt and boxers to wear with a few other stuff she could use. Afterwards, she headed into the bathroom to take a shower while he stayed outside.

When she came back, she saw him sitting with his back against his bed working on his computer. Hope lifted his head to see a pair of his shorts that he gave her flung back into his face. He took it away and looked over at her. As much as he wanted to say something, his word left him instantly. There she was standing in just his white buttoned up shirt with a few buttons loosened at the top. It was just enough to cover over her hips and stopped close to the top of her legs. His face wanted to heat up at the thought that underneath that shirt she was wearing nothing else. "Something wrong with these?"

"They don't fit." she answered.

Hope tilted his head as she turned around toward the bed and made sure the shirt she was wearing was tucked underneath her hips before she sat. His eyes stared at her hips as her back was turned. "That's surprising." He figured with how big they were, it might have actually fit her.

Lightning sat on the bed in front of him with her legs crossed. Hope turned his head afraid of where his thoughts were leading him. If she wasn't completely furious with him right now, he might have actually taken the chance to come on to her. She had no idea of how much he was refraining himself from getting up now and taking her for himself, but he had to focus. This was no time to think of the things he could do with her, but he needed to finish helping her. All he could hope for now was that she didn't move her legs in any way that involved them coming apart. Finally, he just tossed them back toward her which she looked surprised. "What-?"

He didn't make eye contact with her at all. Not during the toss and not after. "Just…try again." No matter what his mind had to win over his hormones.

Lightning tried to read his expression, but he kept his face hidden. "Okay…" She placed them beside her.

Hope stood up and sat beside her as he carried his computer with him. "Listen. I managed to find a store where they would let me get some clothes for you and I could pick them up later on today. All you have to do is order off of this."

Lightning turned her eyes to him. "You really don't have to do this."

"I want to." He reached into his pocket and handed her a card. "Here. Get whatever you want."

When she looked at it, she saw that it was a credit card with his name on it. The first time that she ever saw him with one. She was starting to think that the only thing that he carried with him was cash. She was surprised that he was giving it to her. "What? No. I'm not spending your money. I still have-."

"Listen. It would look less suspicious if you use mine especially if someone was trying to track you. Really, I don't mind. It's the least that I could do."

She turned her body more toward him as she gave him a look of suspicion. "I don't owe you later for this do I?"

He gave her a smile to assure her. "Of course not." He stood up from where he was sitting and gave her his computer. Nervously, he smiled as he looked back. "This is probably a bad time to tell you that the card doesn't have a spending limit."

It surprised Lightning to hear that. Afterwards, Hope headed toward the door. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the Academy. There's something that I need to get there. I'll be back later. I take it that you can take care of yourself until later?"

Lightning frowned. "Of course I can."

Hope smiled but then walked back to her as he remembered something else he wanted to ask her. He sat down beside her. "Also I was wondering if we could finish talking later somewhere alone. I still haven't explained to you about what happened."

She crossed her arms. "Why can't we just stay here?"

"I figured that you didn't want to stay coop up in this room all day so I was thinking that we could relax."

She arched her eyebrow. "And exactly where were you planning to go?"

He shrugged. "There's a pool. I can reserve it privately just for us." He could see it in her face that she wasn't sure about the idea. "Just think about it." He stood up from the bed. "It could be fun." Gently, he grabbed her hand and placed a kiss upon it. Afterwards, Lightning's eyes turned to the side as she buried her hands underneath the sleeves of her shirt. The nerve of what he did. The kiss made her feel uneasy. A part of her felt upset that he done so and at the same time she liked it. It made her feel a little superior since she knew that he was still trying to win her forgiveness and her heart again. Then again, she thought it was a little sweet since no one had done that before. Even through her mixed bag of emotions, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction that it had some sort of affect over her.

"Think fast." she heard his voice call out from the other side of the room. When Lightning looked over, she saw something flying toward her. She caught it in her hand. She looked down to see that it was his phone. "What-?"

"My phone just in case you needed anything or if you needed to check on things back home. I know the others must miss you. Either way, you don't have to worry about that one being traced too much. I thought that if you used your phone, it might be more risky if someone is trying to find you."

Lightning lifted her head up to him. Hope smiled but then headed toward the door. She was still surprised that he was doing all of this for her. Soon, she was left alone. In that time, she used his computer to look for something to wear so that he could pick it up soon. After she was done, she thought of what else she could do so she called back home. She wanted to do so after her meeting was over, but with the explosion it made it hard to.

"_Hello?"_ a familiar voice answered.

"Hey! It's me. How's Serah?"

Over the phone, she could hear Fang laugh a little. _"You don't waste any time do you? I'll let you talk to her."_ Soon, Fang placed Serah on the phone. The two spent a little time talking just to make sure that they were both okay. Lightning didn't mention anything that happened today but only that she was fine. Afterwards, Fang got back on the phone. _"So? How's the conference going?" _

Lightning wasn't sure if she wanted to answer that. "It's okay I guess…" she lied.

By the tone in her voice, Fang wondered if something happened. _"You guess? What is that supposed to mean?"_

Lightning shook her head a little, wishing that she didn't say that. "Forget that I said anything."

Fang became more suspicious. _"All right…What's going on?"_

"Nothing." Lightning answered.

"_Nothing or nothing you want to tell me?"_ In response, Lightning sighed which Fang could overhear. _"Come on you. I know you somewhat well enough to tell when something's on your mind so what's up?"_

Lightning wasn't sure about telling her, but maybe it would ease some confusion a little. The only person who knew what she was going through was the person she was still the maddest at right now. _"Now tell me again. How was the conference?"_

Lightning breathed out as she closed her eyes. Would it hurt to give in and let her problems out onto the next person who knew some things about her especially who part of the situation had to do with? "The first day alone…" She flopped down onto her bed with her back against the mattress. "has had to be one of the worst days of my life." Over the phone, Lightning explained how everything was going was fine until that moment when Hope walked into her meeting revealing himself as Director of the Academy without any warning, to the part where she was almost killed in an explosion. Now Hope was constantly around watching over her while she was still angry with him.

The story left Fang speechless to the point that she didn't know what to comment on first. Part of her was hoping that it was some kind of joke, but she knew Lightning wasn't one for jokes or good at telling them. Then, only one thing came to mind. _"Wow… Your day really sounds… awful."_ It was hard to come up with a right word for this situation.

"Thanks…" Lightning replied.

Fang started to get concerned. _"Do you have any idea on who tried to kill you?"_

"No. They're still investigating into it now. I could be stuck here for a long time."

"_Why don't you just come back here?"_

"I can't. Whoever could be after me could follow me back home and I can't risk putting Serah in danger."

A smirk appeared on Fang's face as she baled her fist. _"Just let 'em come. I could handle that."_

"I'm sure you could." Lightning knew if it came down to a fight, then Fang would fight as well.

"_Just be on the lookout. I guess you'll just have to do what the army says and Hope."_ Lightning sighed. She wished that she didn't have to but it wasn't as if she had much of a choice. She couldn't run around a city she didn't know without a clue as to what or who she was looking for. Fang continued. _"Other than that let me get this straight. Lover boy lied about who he was and he has a girlfriend already. Never thought he was the type to string two girls alone but he could." _

Lightning became upset. "Don't call him that and this is your fault. You told me that I should have worked things out with him and look where that got me."

Fang couldn't believe that she was placing any blame on her at all. _"My fault?! Please! If I didn't say anything, then you probably would have already been in his pants of your own free will. At least I said talk it out before you do that." _

Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. She didn't want to admit it, but she did have a point. "Whatever."

"_So? How does the girlfriend look? Is she cute?"_ Fang asked interested.

Lightning shrugged. She didn't really want to think about the woman. "I don't know."

"_You can at least tell compared to yourself. Is she hotter than me?"_

Lightning frowned at her joke at the end. "I'm not answering that."

"_Do you have a picture of her?"_

"Let me see. This is Hope's phone." She took the phone away from her ear and placed her on speaker. She searched through the photo albums on his phone.

"_So…?"_

"Nothing. I can't find anything. All I see is pictures of me." She was surprised at all the pictures that he had of her. Most of them were taken in New Bodhum. There was some of her smiling whether she was sitting or standing. There was even one of her sleeping like he joked about in Nautilus. Soon, she reached the end of his album.

"_So nothing?"_

Lightning was a little surprised that she couldn't find one picture. "Nothing. Just pictures of me."

"_That could mean that he deleted them before you got the chance to see them or there was a chance that he didn't have any of her at all. Let me ask you this. Did he check on his girlfriend at all after that explosion happened?"_

"I'm not sure. He's been spending most of his time up here with me. He's been doing all this stuff for me too."

"_Like what?"_

It was still a little hard for Lightning to believe what Hope had given her even when it was right in front of her. She held the item between her fingers as she looked at the golden exterior. "He gave me a limitless credit card to buy whatever I wanted."

"_Ooh!"_ Fang replied cheerfully. That sounded fancy to her.

She placed the card down beside her. "And later he told me that he wanted to talk and take me out of this room by going to the pool. I don't know if I should trust him as far as that."

"_If he wants to talk about it then let him."_

"Why should I hear him out after what he did?"

"_You're not getting it. No one said that you were going there just to hear him out. If you want, this is the time that you can make him suffer for what he did."_

Lightning was a little confused as to what her plan was. "What?"

"_Here's what you do. If he wants you to go to the pool, then just go. Get the hottest suit that you can find that will make him wish that he was sorry for not telling you."_

"I don't know. That sounds kind of…stupid." Lightning wasn't one for dressing in bathing suits and going by the pool.

"_It's not. Trust me. You'll have him begging by the end of the night. If you decide to forgive him, then you can just have fun together."_ Lightning picked up the computer that she had before. It was silly to even humor her idea, but she was interested in the way that plan sounded. Still, she wasn't one for wearing bathing suits. _"Are you looking for one?"_

"Maybe." She raised her finger up toward one that seemed okay to wear until she heard Fang speak. _"Don't pick that one."_

At first, Lightning was surprised since it sounded like Fang was searching with her, but then her expression turned to confusion. "How do you know what I'm picking?"

"_I know your style in clothes. Don't get that one." _Lightning pointed to another one. She was about to touch the screen to click on it but heard Fang's voice. _"No."_

In response, Lightning frowned. She continued moving her finger around but each time, Fang replied with no. Finally, she just pointed to something. _"Yes."_

"This one is a dress."

"_Yeah right. What does it look like?" _She described it which made Fang smile over the phone. _"Get that one."_

"What? No."

"_Trust me. That's it. It says that you want this but you can't have it. Get it."_ Lightning sighed and listened to her. Hopefully, it wouldn't come to bite her later. _"Unlimited credit card huh? He must really trust you. I don't know. Other women would just buy as much as they could. If you want, you could just order a bunch of pizzas and send them here."_

A slight smile came on Lightning's face. "We'll see."

"_You could get something really fancy..."_

Lightning looked down at his card. "I know I could, but I'm not going to do that no matter what he did."

Fang understood. _"All right. Still, he's treating you well. Maybe better than his girlfriend."_

Lightning arched her eyebrow at her words. "What are you trying to say?"

"_You have to wonder if he's doing it to keep your mouth shut about what happened or-."_

A frown came to Lightning's lips as she started to get upset. "Don't make me sound like the other woman in this."

"_Or what I was going to say was maybe you have to question if he really cares about his girlfriend? How did he act around her?"_

"He acted as if he couldn't get away from her fast enough but that was probably because he didn't want her letting me know about them."

"_With no picture of her around, you have to wonder..."_

"Yeah. Anyway, the sooner this is over with and done, the sooner I can just get over this."

"_Really? The fact that you're even hearing him out can only mean one thing. You still love him."_

Slightly, Lightning shook her head. "That's ridiculous. Not after-"

"_Is it really? All those months that I seen you two together I've noticed that change in you even if you try to hide it. I actually didn't know you could be this fun. Even if you don't admit it out loud, you know yourself that you've been happier. It was hard enough filling that kind of void in your life." _Lightning remained silent. She wasn't going to fight the fact that Fang was right even if a little part of her wanted her to, but she wasn't going to admit it out loud either._ "I don't know what his intention was but if it's worth it, then try. If not, just hit him where it hurts. If things work out, they just do." _

"Right." With her insightful advice, Lightning would just see where this path would lead her.

* * *

_Thank you guys for reading! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_


	17. The Last Straw

_**Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone for sending in reviews, keeping up with the story, and adding this to your favorites and alerts. I was interested and glad to see more of who you thought might be behind the attack. I was also surprised to see a few that wanted Hope to suffer in this chapter. All I can say is that I hope that you will like the this chapter and see what happens next!_

* * *

_Chapter 17: The Last Straw: _

Later as the sun began to set over Academia, Hope headed back to the hotel with bags in hand and one on his back. First, he headed up to the room that was his personal one. He wanted to carry all the stuff he had without looking suspicious, but most all, they were heavy to carry to the room Lightning was now staying in. Still, all the stuff he brought with him was to help her and he would do just that.

Suddenly, there was a knock on his door which he looked surprised. He glanced through the peephole to see who it was and saw the familiar face that was on the other side. He opened the door. "Hey Alyssa."

"Hi!" She grinned happy to see him, but didn't seem to notice the unexcited tone in his voice. She reached out to embrace him, but he stepped back avoiding her reach. Any further interaction between them became more limited than it already was. In their relationship, really all their interaction was caused by her. Nervously, she put her arms down a little curious as to why he moved away, but she soon brushed it aside. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing. I'm just really busy that's all."

She glanced over noticing the shopping bags that he had with him. She grew excited and went over. "Are these for me?" her tone sounded curious. She kneeled down and began searching through one of the bags.

A worried look came on Hope's face. He didn't want her finding out about what was going on. "No they're not."

Out of the bag, she lifted a pink bra. "Ooh!" She smirked as she looked over at Hope. She had never seen him do this before. "This is really spontaneous of you although..." Confusion became written on her face as she observed the bra more. "I think that this is a few sizes too big for me." Hope walked over before she started asking questions. Alyssa placed her finger to her chin as she continued to stare at it. She almost didn't notice him come over. "And pink isn't really my color."

Quickly, Hope took it from her hand and placed it back in the bag. "Like I said, it's not for you. It's for something else."

Alyssa stood up as she became confused. "Then what are they for?"

"Just trust me when I say it's not for me. Anyway I really need to get going."

She wondered why he seemed in a hurry. "Then tell me where did you get it?"

Hope sighed as he closed his eyes. Soon, he turned his eyes over to her. "I'm just holding them for someone and I'm giving it to them. I didn't know what was in the bag."

Alyssa crossed her arms. To her, it seemed unusually odd. "Really?"

"Yes." Hope was telling the truth. He really had no idea what Lightning ordered.

"Hmm…" She still wasn't sure, but she would just have to keep an eye on him. Shortly after, a hopeful smile appeared on her face. "Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to have dinner tonight."

In response, Hope seemed uneasy. "Not tonight. Like I said I still have a lot of work to do."

Alyssa sighed in disappointment. "Then can we see each other later then?"

"Probably not until tomorrow."

Once she realized what he meant, Alyssa gave a very sad look. "But that won't be until we have our next meeting!"

"Sorry but I really can't stay." The most important thing to him right now was making sure that Lightning was okay.

She couldn't understand it. Finally, she turned and walked away. It didn't seem like he would change his mind. Still, she was had no idea as to what he was up to. After she left her room, her two friends, the ones that Hope saw in Nautilus, caught up with her. They smiled toward her not noticing the distress look on her face. "So? What's going on tonight?"

"Any plans with you and the Director?"

Alyssa's eyes traveled toward the ground, disappointed. "No. He told me that he was busy."

The girls were concerned hearing the sadness in her voice. They glanced at each other before they looked at her. "Are you…okay?"

Alyssa stopped in place. "I don't know. I think that maybe…" Afterwards, she displayed the best smile she could. "No. It's silly to think so." she told herself.

The girls were curious as to what she was talking about. "What?"

Alyssa turned to them. The same worried look came on her face. "I thought that the Director might be…maybe interested in someone else. That he might be seeing someone else, but I could just be imagining things right?"

Her friends grew confused. "Why would you think something like that?" one of them asked.

Alyssa thought back to earlier. "Well…I saw in this bag some clothes he brought with him and in that bag there was pink bra, but he told me that it wasn't for me. Instead, he told me that he was holding it for someone and he was giving it back."

One of her friends gave a gentle smile. "I'm sure that's not the case. Maybe he was actually telling the truth and he was holding it for someone. The Director wouldn't do anything like that."

"Or be into that kind of stuff." The thought crossed her other friend's mind that the clothes could actually be for him but she pushed the thought aside.

Alyssa smiled a little and nodded. "You're right." She closed her eyes as her smile grew bigger. "I'm just being paranoid."

* * *

Hope traveled back into the room that he shared with Lightning, carrying the last of what he needed to on his back. Lightning was searching through the clothes that he brought in with him before she lifted her eyes and became interested in the bag he was carrying on his back. "What's that?"

Hope grinned before he placed it down on the floor. She heard a loud clink sound that sounded like metal hitting. He had a feeling that she might like what he had to show her. In fact, he couldn't wait to show her. He kneeled down and unzipped the bag.

When she looked down, she became more interested. Hope stood up holding one of his surprises in his hand. He flipped it open to show the sword. Once she saw it, she was surprised. In his hand, he had a gunblade. Without thinking, she stood up. She couldn't believe that he had gotten one for her. He smiled once he saw the expression on her face. "I figured since the one you had was destroyed, I would bring you another one to help protect you." He placed it in her hand which she observed it. "This is the model that you had in New Bodhum. I figured that you might want to use that one since you're already used to it."

He kneeled down which her eyes followed. "If you don't want that one, I do have a few other choices." He flipped another one open, which she was surprised to see what it was. "This one is the one we were talking about before. The most powerful one. The Omega Weapon."

Lightning placed the first one aside and took the other. Never before did she get her hands on that one. Hope smiled as he wanted to show her the last one that he had. "Or…?" He took out the last one and flipped it open to its sword as well. "If you really want to take the chance, you can try a new one invented by the Academy itself. Sort of a prototype but it should be effective. It was the one I was talking about in the meeting today." Lightning took it and observed it. She turned her back away from Hope. "You can hold onto them if you want."

"This is too much." Hope was a little confused as to what she meant by that. She placed the gunblade down at her side. She looked back at him. There was a look of suspicion in her eyes. "What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to help. No strings attached."

Lightning turned to him. "What? I'm just supposed to thank you for all of this?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "That would be nice. If it makes you feel any better, that's all I want in return." Lightning crossed her arms as she still looked somewhat suspicious. Hope smiled nervously. "I also brought food. Don't worry. I watched it the whole time to make sure that no one did anything to it."

Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. She felt that he was still being too nice to her without wanting anything in return. She turned away from him and placed the gunblade on the bed along with the rest. Hope had a look of concern. Finally, he sighed as he closed his eyes. He figured that she wanted to hear more about his intentions and that was exactly what he would give her. Carefully, he approached her. There was a slight fear that she would hit him for touching her, but it was just a risk that he was willing to take. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'll admit that this is not how I wanted to give you any of this, but you have to know that I just wanted to protect you. To make sure that you were safe."

She shifted her shoulder so that his hand would slip off. She kept her arms crossed and her back turned from him. She knew it was probably a bad idea to look away from him, but she thought that maybe he would give up. Instead, she felt his arms go around her waist. "Let go of me." She tried to pull his arms away and even dig her nails into his coat, but he didn't budge. His head leaned against her shoulder as he closed his eyes. He could still smell the sweet scent on her skin and through his shirt. Lightning rolled her eyes as she looked away from him. "If you don't get off of me-."

"You can think what you want but I don't want anything out of you." His hands began to spread apart across her body. One hand went down toward her waist and gripped tighter onto the shirt that became hugged around the curves of her body. The other went up toward the top of her chest. Softly, the tips of his fingers caressed slowly across her smooth skin near her shoulder.

"There is something you want." Her mind told her to break away from being too close to him, but like her hands remained motionless to stop him, so did her body. She endured the teasing knowing that it was only bringing out more of the side she knew was waiting to come out him. "You want me. You want my forgiveness."

His mind became clouded being near her at that moment. More, he found himself giving into that desire that was deep inside of him. His hand moved part of her shirt off of her shoulder. Lightning decided to turn her eyes to her own demons to see if she could resist them. Her blue eyes met with his emerald ones. She could see it growing in his eyes. That desire only to take full advantage of it. "Yes. I won't deny that." Only inches away were their lips apart from each other. Against the skin of her leg, she could feel his fingertips gliding along her skin going upwards toward her inner thigh. She turned her head away as she closed her eyes. That tingling sensation he was giving her was getting stronger. There was only one place she could think of where his fingers were going. It was an urge that was becoming harder to get rid of with every inch closer he came.

With his head, he made hers tilt, exposing her neck. He placed butterfly kisses against her neck, which made her body give a slight shiver. She could feel his breath against her neck. "I just hope that it will only be a matter of time before you see that I never wanted to hurt you and you will forgive me."

With his lips, he began kissing on one spot. Against her skin, she felt his moist, wet tongue slide only teasing her more. For a few seconds, she tuned everything out to center on her sense of touch. Her lips parted as she breathed out, letting out an audible sound. His fingers caressed again along the skin of her chest and moved further down. Outside of her shirt, she felt his hand grasp onto her bosom. Through the thin fabric alone was enough to feel how hard she was underneath. His fingers began to start their fun on her as they ran over the mount back and forth without end. Her head tilted back against his shoulder as she lifted her arm and placed her hand on his neck, making her chest stick out more. At that moment, all her body wanted to do was give in. Just once and she would be complete. It was simple for her thoughts to travel to the possibilities of what he could do to her. Still, she couldn't. It wasn't right.

Finally, she firmly placed her hand down against his hand that moving up on her leg before he attempted to even stroke one finger against her. Again, she gained control before he had gotten the better of her. "And what would your girlfriend think if she saw what you were doing to me right now?" Seconds later, she felt his contact loosen from her. Lightning turned around as she looked upset. She saw a concerned but torn look on his face. "Just like I thought."

She was about to walk away from him, but suddenly, she felt him grab her arm. He held his head down. "I know I said that I would talk later but…" He lifted his eyes to her. Lightning thought about snatching her arm away, but she was interesting in what he had to say. She stood in silence waiting for him to finish. "I need to let you know that I don't feel anything toward her. Just for you."

Lightning gave him a confused look. "That's not nice to say about your girlfriend. Then why else would you go for her?"

His eyes drifted down. "It's complicated but it's true."

Lightning placed her arm back down after he let go of her. She walked over and grabbed something out of one of the bags of clothes that he brought her. "For me to believe anything you say, you better give me more than that." Afterwards, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. As she was inside, her hands leaned against the counter as her body began to relax. It was a close call giving into him but she made it through. Her mind debated as to whether or not he was telling her the truth but it didn't matter. The best thing he could do was prove that it was true. Even then, even if he chose her, how could she be sure that she could trust him again?

Outside of the bathroom, Hope sat on the side of her bed as he checked his computer. He felt bad for what he had done minutes ago. His fingers ran through his silver hair as his mind went back to focusing on how to help Lightning. Maybe he could find some clue on who tried to hurt her. It was then that he heard a ringing sound from his computer. Surprised, he answered the call. When the screen popped open, he saw Alyssa smiling along with the two friends that she was with earlier. "Hi!"

He looked curious as to what she wanted. "Hi?"

"I know you said that you busy but we were wondering if-."

"Hope. I think that there's something wrong with this..." Suddenly, Hope and the other girls heard another voice. Once he looked back, his eyes widened in surprised. He was pretty sure that all the blood left his head and went rushing elsewhere. Walking out of the bathroom, he saw Lightning standing with his shirt open wearing the new laced pink bra and underwear that was just brought. From the camera, all the girls could see was her from the chest down to her knees but didn't see her face. Instantly, their faces turned to shock.

Lightning stopped once she saw that he was on his computer talking to someone. When she looked, she recognized that it was Alyssa along with two of the girls that she saw in Nautilus. She closed her eyes as she looked calm on the outside, but inside she could feel that same anger coming back to her. Her hands clasped onto her shirt covering what she could and walked passed him while ignoring eye contact. Hope's eyes followed her and watched as she sat on the other bed with her arms and legs crossed. She gave him a glare. This wasn't helping his case at all. She had only been in there for a few minutes and he was already chatting it up with someone who he claimed not to have feelings for. Her hands brushed the strands of her hair out of his shirt as she closed her eyes. When she opened them, her eyes became redirected on him. She waited to see what he was going to do next. So far, it seemed that she had his full attention.

"Hope? Hope?!" Alyssa called him a few times but got no response. He seemed to be completely zoned out to everything else around him except for Lightning. A smirk came on Lightning's face as she closed her eyes and shook her head. She didn't think that she had that much of an effect on him but it was nice while it lasted. She signaled for him to close his mouth and pointed toward his computer since he needed to answer. "Hope!"

Finally, he placed his head down toward the screen. He was somewhat back in reality, but there was still a blank stare to his eyes. "What?"

"Who was that?!" Alyssa raised her voice.

"Who was what?" he asked curiously as if he didn't know. His tone was almost believable.

Alyssa sighed in frustration. "Don't tell me that there's not someone else there with you! Now who was it?!"

"It's just someone I know." Lightning frowned after hearing his answer. She could see now that he wasn't going to come clean.

"Do you know all your friends like that?! There's a woman there and I want to know who! I'm coming to your room right now!"

Hope's expression turned serious. He would not allow her to do so. "You don't have to. You're being worried and upset over nothing. Listen. She's just an old friend of mine and she needed my help on something. I will tell you about it later."

"I want to know right now!" Alyssa demanded.

"I told you that it was nothing so just relax. It's not what you think. Please." Alyssa calmed down a little but still upset. "I have to go now. I will talk to you later. All right?"

"All right." she muttered. Hope closed his computer. Alyssa frowned as she sat back in her chair. She became more suspicious now than earlier in his room.

One of her friends looked over at her. "You think that he was telling the truth?"

"I don't know. That bra that the woman had on was the same one I found in that bag early."

"Either way, you need to confront him on it. He told you that he would tell you about it. I guess not many men would admit their affairs right away if it was one."

"Did you see the body on that woman? It was like she was some kind of model or something."

Alyssa started to get worried. "What if that's what she was? He's been gone all those months. What if he did find someone else?"

"Then you need to remind him of why you're his girlfriend! You should surprise him!"

Alyssa smiled a little. "You're right. I should surprise him."

* * *

Hope breathed out as he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he could clearly see the frown and angry look on Lightning's face. He stood up. "Light-."

"Save it." She stood up as well. She was about to head toward the bathroom to change when Hope stepped in front of her with a serious look and his arms out stretched. "Listen. There's a reason I didn't tell her."

Lightning placed her hands on her hips as she arched her eyebrow. "Love to hear your excuse this time."

"I didn't tell her because I didn't need her looking for me. If she saw that I wasn't in my room, then she'll know I was somewhere else. Then that will just lead to her trying to find out who you are and where you are. I can't let anyone know that you're here. If she were to find out, then it could possibly cause a scene and expose you."

Lightning managed to calm down somewhat from hearing his reason, but the fact still remained that their relationship wasn't in a good place right now. "Okay." Hope relaxed a little after hearing her. "Still, what do you plan to do about her? Are you going to tell her?"

He looked toward the side. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he knew he couldn't let that relationship go on. "I don't know." he whispered.

At least he was honest but that wasn't enough. She walked passed him. "Then you know you've lost me then."

"I can't-."

"There's no such thing as can or can't. There are some things you just do even if it has to hurt others. Instead of hurting less people, you're just hurting more."

His eyes looked toward the floor. She stared at him before she headed to the bathroom. "You're right." Hearing him say those words made her stop. Her eyes glanced back at him. Hope nodded. "You're right. I don't want to mess things up more than I already have with you. I want to make it up to you so please. I ask that you join me tonight so that I can explain everything that you want to know. Just you and me. I'll make things right again."

"Who says that you can?" Her eyes lifted up to him. "How do I know that after all of this is over and even if you told me everything, how do I know that you won't lie to me again?"

He looked down. He believed that nothing he could say could make her change her disbelief, but this was all he could say. "If you give me a chance, I can prove it to you. I'll earn back your trust."

Her eyes drifted off to the side as she wondered. Mostly, she told herself that she shouldn't go through with it, but there was still a part of her that thought maybe he would stay true to his word. For once ignoring her gut, she decided to take a chance. She turned to him. "You head there first. I'll meet you down there."

Once he heard her, a smile of relief came on his face. She stepped over toward him. "But you have to promise me that you'll be completely honest and you'll end things with her."

He nodded. "I promise." She was about to head off but she heard his voice again. "Thank you Light." She stopped and looked back. She was a little surprised to hear him thank her. He stopped over as he smiled a little. "Now. Was there something you wanted me to help you with when you walked out?"

"I was just going to see if you had something I could cut with? This thing here is getting a little annoying." She pulled on the piece of plastic that was sticking out and attached to the bra.

He smiled at her. "I'll see what I can find." The two searched around and found a pair of scissors that she could use. She was about to head into the bathroom. "Hey Light…"

She looked back curious. "Yeah?"

"I think that what you picked out… really suits you well."

In silence, she stood. Inside, she was surprised but then walked away. "Don't stare too long."

After going through her clothes, Hope walked toward the door. Before he headed out, he looked back and smiled. "See you down there."

Lightning nodded. "Right." Afterwards, he left. Uneasy, she turned and reached into her bag and pulled out the bathing suit that she ordered. She still wasn't sure about Fang's idea but it seemed interesting at the time. She just had to remember why she got it. She pushed her nervousness aside and changed her clothes.

* * *

On another floor, Hope closed the door to his room as he dressed in a white shirt and trunks. He smiled hoping this would be the thing that would smooth things over with Lightning.

Further down the hall, Alyssa and her friends were about to head to his room when they noticed Hope walking away from it. They saw that he was dressed out of his uniform and into something they never seen him in. One of Alyssa's friends turned to her. "I thought that you said he was busy Alyssa."

A look of confusion came to Alyssa's face. "That's what he told me but this might be even better. We can surprise him." The girls giggled and ran off.

Hope made it to the pool that he reserved. At first when his foot touched the surface of the water, it felt cold. Slowly, he dipped his body in, starting to get adjusted to the water. He sat on the stairs near one of the corners of the pool. He breathed out, relaxing a little and closed his eyes. Things were peaceful around. Now all he had to do was wait. With some time to himself, he thought about how tonight might be good. Finally, he could explain everything hopefully resulting in her forgiveness. They could just spend the time forgetting about their problems and just swim there in peace.

Minutes later, he heard footsteps. He turned his head as he opened his eyes and smiled. Lightning must've already arrived. When he looked, the smile faded away from his lips. He became splashed with water which he closed his eyes. He couldn't believe it. What were they doing there and how did they find him? The three girls raised their heads out of the water as they laughed. Hope looked surprised. "Alyssa? What are you doing here?"

Alyssa smiled at him. "We saw you leaving your room so we figured that we come join you."

Hope moved away from her as he started to worry. He gave her a serious look. "You can't be here."

A curious expression appeared upon her. "Why not?"

Quickly, his mind raced trying to think of an excuse. "Because…the sign said that the pool was closed." he replied nervously.

Alyssa grinned. "Then you shouldn't be in here either. Don't worry. We won't tell if you won't." As the girls continued playing around in the water, Hope stayed toward the side feeling uneasy about them being there. It was hard enough getting Lightning to agree to meet him. Now, he could lose that chance. This time for good.

Lightning headed down to the pool with a jacket covering her body. It was easier to walk freely when there was no else around. When she stepped into the room before entering the pool, she heard silence. That meant that either Hope was there or not yet. Regardless, he told her that it would just be them. She removed the jacket that she was wearing revealing the suit that she had on. It was a red two piece with thin straps at her shoulders and shining, clear stones at the center of her top between her bosoms. She stepped out toward the pool to see that Hope was leaning toward the edge with his back turned to her. She stepped in closer. "Hey."

He turned around with a surprised look on his face. She continued forward until she heard a loud splash sound. Suddenly, she saw Alyssa rise up out of the water and wrap her arms around his neck from behind. "Got ya!" When she looked up, she saw Lightning standing above them. She was surprised to see her there as well. She recognized her as the same woman that she met earlier. The other two girls rose out of the water. "I think that I held my breath the longest!"

"No way!" They looked over surprised to see Lightning there.

They both leaned against the edge. "Wow! That's a really nice suit."

"Yeah."

Instantly, Alyssa remembered why she knew Lightning. "Hey! You're that soldier from earlier. You were the one who hit Hope."

Hope removed her hands from around him and got out of the pool. Lightning stepped back as he stepped in front of her. "I can explain." he whispered.

Again, she could see the anger rise in her eyes as she looked into his. "Don't bother." She turned around and walked away.

Alyssa looked curious as to what they were talking about. Her friends swam over toward her. "She could have stayed if she wanted." More, Alyssa became suspicious as to who she was and why Hope kept going after her.

Hope caught up with Lightning in the room that led to the pool. "Wait! Light please."

Finally, Lightning stopped and turned to him. "What? What excuse do you have for me this time?"

"Listen. I didn't know that they were going to be there, but they followed me from my room and-."

"It doesn't matter how it happened. What matters is what you're going to do about it."

Soon, Alyssa came into the room where they were. "Hey." She looked curiously between the two of them. "What's going on here?"

Lightning's eyes traveled over to Hope waiting for him to answer her. This was the moment for him to set everything straight. The only question was would he? Hope thought about if he should say something, but he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to hurt anyone yet. Not there at least, but thought it deserved to be said privately. "It's nothing to worry about."

With that, the last straw was broken. Lightning turned and left from the room as she placed her jacket on. Already, he began to regret his decision. Without being seen, Lightning returned back to the room that she shared with him. She sat on the bed near the window angry and hurt over what happened. No longer would she put up with him. Even her heart agreed to that. On the dresser between their beds, she saw his phone. Needing an outlet, she decided that she would take the calm approach of taking out her frustrations.

"_Hello?"_ she heard the familiar voice.

"Yeah. It's me." Fang waited in silence over the phone for her to speak first. Lightning held her head down as her eyes lowered toward the floor. "It's over." After explaining what happened, she settled into her bed to go to sleep. As the room was dark, she heard the door open. She lifted her body up a little as her back was turned from the door. Through the moonlight that was coming through the curtains she could see who it was. Once again, she felt her anger come back to her. She lied down with her back still turned to the door.

Hope stood with worry. He knew that he really messed up and was afraid to ask how she felt now. Still, he had to know. "Light-."

"It's over. I have nothing more to say to you nor do I want to hear anything you have to say. As far as this little arrangement goes, I will stay out of sight here, but nothing more than that." Again, he turned silent. At this point, he wasn't sure of what more he could do. For now, he decided to leave her alone. He sighed as he lied on his bed with his hand against his face.

Throughout the next day, the two went mostly without speaking except if there was something she needed. Part of the day, she was left alone in the room while he had to attend meetings. Whenever he looked over at her, he could see some of her anger through her face and whenever she glanced over at him, she could see his hurt. That wasn't enough to forgive him. Still, everything was calm throughout her stay in the room. She started to worry less about someone trying to kill her.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter. Hitting a sort of sad moment for the story. As always let me know what you think and I'll update next time._


	18. Unfinished Business

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Sorry for the late update! I want to thank everyone who has kept up with the story and added this to your favorites and alerts! I loved reading all the reviews! I hope that you will enjoy this chapter! See what happens next! _

* * *

_Chapter 18: Unfinished Business:_

In a huge conference room the general, leader of the military council, was standing at one podium speaking to the soldiers and scientists alike. Next to him stood Hope who remained silent until he had something to weigh in. He was listening in and out of the presentation since mostly Lightning weighed heavily on his mind. A few times, he glanced over at her sitting close beside him at a table next to the podium. She kept her eyes forward with her arms crossed as she sat at the table with her other fellow Guardian Corp council members. On the other side near the general's podium sat Nabaat, Raines, and Rosch. This was one of the few meetings that Lightning had to attend during the conference. A few times, she could feel Hope's eyes come upon her, but she ignored the looks every time refusing to look over at him.

Standing at the back of the room, Alyssa stood with her friends as she watched him. She began to notice the looks as well and wondered what they meant. She could understand him looking a few times but not as much as he did. She was starting to get worried. Also in the back of the room, there were soldiers standing around with guns ready. They were ordered to protect Lightning just in case there was an attack. Despite her protest against it, the general still ordered that she be watched over regardless. So far during the meeting, things had been quiet.

Hope stood worried not just about Lightning's safety, but the fact that things will never go back to the way they were again. Little by little he was starting to lose faith that there was some way that she would come back to him. When he turned his eyes to her again despite his feelings telling him that he should stop, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye about the other members. Little red dots were moving on their foreheads. He returned his attention back to Lightning, noticing that she had the same little dot moving around. His eyes widened and quickly moved upwards toward the balcony. There he saw men pointing their guns down toward them.

"Everyone get down!" The whole room heard Hope's shout which alarmed the gunmen. They couldn't miss the opportunity to take out their set targets. Quickly, Hope turned, heading toward Lightning worried that they might fire before she had time to react. The gunmen took their shots. One by one, they hit the two men that were sitting beside Lightning in the head before they had time to move out of their seats. The third gunman aimed for Lightning, but Hope knocked her out of the way along with the chair that she was in. As he fell onto the floor beside her, his eyes closed tight as he felt a sharp pain.

Lightning's eyes widened in surprise as she saw him lying beside her. His hand was wrapped tightly around his arm as he felt an intense pain coursing through his body. She kept her head down to avoid getting hit from the snipers. She removed Hope's hand from his arm and saw blood leaking through his sleeve. She looked back up toward the gunmen that were in the balcony. She took out her gunblade and began shooting back toward them.

The general shot back at them, but suddenly closed his eyes tightly in pain as he felt a shot to the chest near his arm. He grabbed onto the spot and kneeled down.

People around the room were screaming as they tried heading out of the door. "Hope!" A scared Alyssa wanted to rush over to the front of the room to see if he was all right, but her friends pulled onto her arms. "Come on! We have to go or we'll be killed!"

"But we have to see if the Director's all right!" They kept pulling her along until they were out of the room.

Through the pain, Hope opened his eyes and looked over. He noticed on the other side that Nabaat, Raines, and Rosch weren't fighting back, but only observing on what was going on. He became curious as to why.

Lightning turned her body, using the podium as cover from the fire. When she was ready, she rose up and shot toward them. She managed to hit all three of them one by one without backing down. After all the gunfire had stopped, Lightning searched around one more time for other gunman before she went over to check on Hope. On the ground, he was lying with his eyes closed. She felt her anger toward him pushed aside for now. Once again, he had saved her life. She placed her hand on the side of his cheek. "Hope? Are you okay?"

Slightly, he turned his head as a painful look came to his face. He groaned a little as he kept his eyes closed. Suddenly, she heard something approaching behind her. When she looked back, she saw the three soldiers from PSICOM standing over her. Neither one of them said anything but just looked at them. Hope opened his eyes a little. There, he saw them as well. He was still suspicious as to why they didn't help.

A hurt general came over toward them still pressing his hand against his chest over his wound. "Farron? Are you all right?"

"Yes sir. It's Director Estheim. He's hurt."

The general looked over to the three soldiers from PSICOM. "Go! Call for help!"

Nabaat adjusted her glasses as she smiled. "Yes sir."

Later, there were medical ambulances outside of the hotel. A few medics were carrying the general on a stretcher inside one of the ambulances. There were bandages covering over his chest wound. He turned his head toward Lightning who was standing nearby with a few soldiers surrounding her. "Farron. These soldiers will look after you. Be careful. I'm sure those weren't the soldiers that attempted to kill you." He closed his eyes in pain.

Lightning nodded. "Yes sir. I will be on the lookout."

The general gave a serious look as much as he could. "You men. Do whatever the Lieutenant says."

Instantly, the soldiers saluted him. "Yes sir!"

The medics carried him away fully into the back of the ambulance and closed the doors behind him. Lightning and the other soldiers watched as the van left. Soon, her eyes looked over and saw that there was another stretcher with Hope on it as his eyes were closed. The thought crossed her mind to go over but she wasn't sure if she should at first. It took a few seconds but finally she decided to go over. She stopped in beside one of the medics. "Is he all right?"

The man looked back at her. "Yes. For now, we just gave him something to help with the pain. Once we get to the hospital, the doctors will work on his arm."

Lightning's eyes traveled down to Hope. His head was slightly moving as a reaction of hearing sounds around him. His consciousness wasn't complete gone yet. Through his haze, he thought that he could hear her familiar voice.

"Director!" Suddenly, they heard a voice yell from nearby. Alyssa ran over and stood beside the stretcher in front of Lightning. "Is he all right?!"

Lightning stepped back, figuring it was better not to get attached again. "He's fine. We're taking him to the hospital." The medic answered her calmly.

Alyssa lifted her eyes up to the medic. "Can I go with him?!"

The medic shook his head. "I'm sorry miss but you can't."

Alyssa moaned in disappointment. She reached down and grabbed onto his hand. "Hope? Can you hear me? I'll be there to check on you soon okay?"

Hope turned his head toward her with his eyes still closed. "Lightning?"

Lightning was about to walk away but she heard the groggy whisper that called out to her. When she turned around, she saw Hope still with his eyes closed and out of it. He became motionless as the effects of the drug were taking more of its toll on his body. Alyssa gasped in surprised. She turned around and looked back at Lightning who was just as surprised as she was. Letting their eyes meet, Lightning saw the suspicion growing in her eyes. Soon, she broken away their eye contact between them and walked away with the other soldiers following behind her.

Later, Lightning stopped by the hospital, first checking on the general to see if he was okay. He had to go through surgery to remove the bullet that went through his chest but he awoke soon after. Neither one of them had a clue as to who attacked them, but for now they would keep soldiers around to protect both of them. After speaking with the general, Lightning stepped back into the hallway. She was about to go back to the hotel to wait for her next order, but then another thought crossed her mind. There was someone else she knew that was in the hospital as well. A part of her still didn't want to see him after what he did, but she also remembered that he took a hit for her and saved her life. Two officers on her team were dead and she could have been the same. After debating, she stopped by the front desk.

Inside of his hospital room, Hope was lying on his bed with his eyes closed. There were bandages wrapped around his arm from where he was hit. White blankets were wrapped around his legs, leaving the skin of his upper body uncovered. Partly awake, he heard a clicking noise from boots, but he didn't open his eyes. Lightning walked into his room and stepped from behind the white curtains. There she saw him lying still so she assumed that he was asleep. The room around was quiet so she had no idea if Alyssa had already been by to visit. She walked over to his side as her eyes were looking down at him. If there was anything she wanted to say to him, it was just to thank him for he had done for her. Lightly, her fingers brushed his bangs aside. He wouldn't have to know that she was there.

Against his head, he could feel the strands of his hair tickling his skin. Slowly, he opened his eyes tired. Once she saw him waking up, she stopped but left her fingers there. His eyes gazed up to her above him. "Light." he whispered. He was surprised to see her.

Her hand moved down to touch his bandages but she pressed too hard which made him sigh in pain. He looked down to see the bandages for himself. The last thing he could remember was being back in the meeting, feeling the floor underneath him after he fell. He figured that the doctors were already finished treating him. "How are you feeling?"

Hope turned his head to her. "Better I guess. Still in a little pain."

To Lightning, that was good to hear. She was just glad that it wasn't anything serious. "Good."

Things felt a little awkward between them, but they were going to try and go one sentence at a time. Hope looked curious. "Why did you stop by here?"

"I wanted to thank you for what you did."

Hope relaxed his head against his pillow. "You didn't have to do that." He reached over and grabbed her hand. "Are you doing okay? Do they have someone looking over you?" Lightning slipped her hand out of his. He realized what he had done and smiled nervously. Again, he was getting too close. "Sorry."

"The General has instructed that soldiers stand guard around me not that I need it."

"Better safe than sorry. I know you don't like to be constantly looked over, but the last two times were too close of a call. I'm just glad that you're all right now."

Lightning lifted her eyes up to his. "You too." Curiously, her eyes drifted off to the side as there was a question on her mind. She wasn't sure about asking. Then, she heard Hope's voice again. "I'm actually glad that you stopped by." Lightning turned her attention back to Hope. "I wanted to tell you to watch out. During that attack earlier, I saw the soldiers from PSICOM. They were just hiding as the attack happened and they didn't do anything about it to help you guys. They were just watching."

Lightning looked toward the ground. It was somewhat confusing as to why they wouldn't help the General at least. "Are you sure about this?"

Hope nodded. "Yes." Lightning's eyes turned to the side. Maybe that was something to investigate into. "What will you do now?"

"I guess I will head back to the hotel." Hope was unsure about her going back there especially with what has already happened. If he asked her to stay there, she would probably object to it. "Hope? Can I ask you something?"

Curiously, he looked over at her. "Yeah?"

Lightning looked to the side but then looked at him. "Earlier when you were being carried away to the hospital, you called out to me. Was there something you wanted?"

A confused look became written across his face. "What are you talking about?"

Lightning studied his expression. Truly, he didn't seem to know what she talking about. "When you were being carried away, you called out for me. You said my name."

Hope shook his head. "I don't remember doing that. I really can't remember anything between that meeting and waking up here now. It was probably whatever they put me under. I felt really out of it." Lightning looked away as she had her back turned to him. She was somewhat disappointed since she was curious on what he had to say. Hope looked up toward the ceiling as he tried hard to think back. "I think that while I was out of it…the one thing that kept going through my mind was…if you were all right. I think that maybe at one point I thought I heard your voice. Maybe that's why you heard me."

Lightning turned toward him. At his words, her guard began to soften. The two exchanged looks. She sat down on the edge of his bed. "You could have gotten yourself killed back there."

He placed his hand on top of hers. This time, she didn't pull away. "I know but I'm glad that I moved you out of the way in time. I rather this happen than to see you die in front of me. I'm guessing the other officers, they didn't make it?" Lightning shook her head as she closed her eyes. In silence, she opened her eyes to him. "I am sorry you know." He didn't know if it would make much of a difference now but he still wanted to let her know that he was sorry. Lightning felt uneasy about hearing him say so. It wasn't enough to make up for his choices. Her eyes lowered.

"Hope!" When they looked over, they saw Alyssa with a worried look on her face. That expression changed once she saw the two of them together especially his hand on top of hers. What was Lightning doing there with him already?

Figuring she should go, Lightning turned her attention back to Hope. "Just in case, you should get someone to look after you as well." As she stood up, she felt a weigh pull at her hand. When she looked down, she saw that he was still holding onto her hand. She could tell that it was a sign that he wasn't ready for her to leave, but she refused to stay around. She left him with one last piece of advice before she would leave. Her lips leaned in close to his ear. "I still refuse to be the other woman."

Hope's eyes traveled toward the side after hearing her words. Lightning stood up straight and headed toward the door without looking at Alyssa. She headed out with the rest of the soldiers out of the hospital.

Once it was just the two of them alone, Alyssa walked over in silence and sat on the edge of the bed next to him. "What was she doing here?"

Hope looked down serious, still remembering Lightning's words. This time, he wouldn't let them just slip away like the wind. "She was here to thank me for saving her life."

Alyssa let out a sigh. There were a lot of questions on her mind about the two of them but her mouth refused to open to ask them. Hope sat up out of his bed, which she noticed out of the corner of her eye. She looked worried. "What are you doing? Should you be getting out of bed?"

"The doctors will probably tell me that I can leave soon anyway." He leaned his head on his hands that were together. This time, he wouldn't hold back on what he needed to do. He looked over to Alyssa. "We need to talk."

She was worried as to what he meant by that. "What about?"

"Not here. When we get back." After speaking with his doctors, they let Hope leave the hospital after he was checked on one last time. With Alyssa, he headed back to the hotel to his room.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! See what happens next time! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_


	19. What Needed To Be Done

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has kept up with the story, sent in reviews and added this to your alerts and favorites! I hope that you will like this chapter of the story!_

* * *

_Chapter 19: What Needed To Be Done:_

Inside of Hope's room, Lightning stood nearby the bed as she was trying to think of what to do next as far as her situation. She had dismissed the soldiers watching over her and thought it was a bad idea to go back to her secret room she shared with Hope. So she decided to stay in Hope's personal hotel room instead.

Suddenly, she heard the door being opened. On guard, she stepped into the bathroom to hide herself away. She kept the door partly open so that she could see who it was before she got ready to attack. She kept her gunblade steady in her hand just in case. When she looked, she saw that it was Hope with Alyssa. Lightning was surprised to see that he was out of the hospital already. Definitely she did not want to be there now for whatever they were up to.

Hope held out his hand toward his bed. "Please. Sit."

Alyssa sat on the edge and he followed behind her. They had their backs turned from the bathroom door that was on the other side of the room. Lightning closed her eyes as she placed her hand to her head. There was no way for her to leave without being noticed. If she didn't want to be seen by them, then she had no choice but to stay. Alyssa's eyes traveled over to Hope curiously as he was staring toward the floor. "You… wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes…" He told himself it had to be done for the better over and over again in his mind. This was the thing that he must do. As much as he didn't want to cause pain, his eyes turned to her. "This has been something I should have said a long time ago and I'm sorry that I led you on this long but…I can't stay with you anymore." Once she heard those words, he could see her hurt and fear come to her face. "I'm sorry."

Alyssa couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What?!" Nearby, Lightning was surprised as she leaned against the bathroom counter. He actually did what he said he was going to even if he said it days earlier. "This has to be some mistake! How can you just end things like this?!"

Hope wanted to look away from her but he knew he couldn't so that she would know that he was serious. "The truth is I've known how you felt about me for a long time, but I never felt those same feelings. I only stayed because my father believed that it would help me stay less distracted searching for someone else and to have someone work so close to me at the Academy, doing the same thing as me was an easy find. For the longest time, I've went along with it really just focusing on work. I thought it would be no big deal and I would fall for you within time but I didn't. Instead… I've fallen for someone else."

A shocked look came on Alyssa's face. "What?! Who?! You're not making any sense!" She grabbed onto his hand. "Just give it more time! I can make you fall in love me!"

It was getting harder for him to end things but he kept pushing himself to go on. "It's too late. I can't."

Alyssa turned silent as she stared at him. Through her pain, she took a brief moment to think. Her eyes traveled along the mattress. "It's that woman isn't it? The one from the hospital? The soldier?"

Hope nodded in response. "Yes."

It took her some time to piece things together from when she seen Lightning. Every time she saw her, she was mostly upset with him. "I don't get it. The first day she attacked you."

"There was a reason for that." he began to explain. "I didn't tell her about you and she just found out that day. I didn't want to lose her but… it looks like I already have."

"How long?" Hope lifted his head to Alyssa after hearing her voice. He could tell that she meant that she wanted to know how long he had been with Lightning. "A few months ago when I disappeared."

More of her anger began to show through her face. "And all that time, you've been with her?"

Slightly, he nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry."

She stood up from the bed, unsure of what to think or say. "All these months… no word from you and now you come and say this?" She turned to him. "Everything that you've been doing was for her? The clothes I found? Was she also the one that I saw through your computer?"

"Yes." he admitted.

Alyssa crossed her arms. "Did you sleep with her?" she asked as calmly as she could.

At first, the question had caught him by surprised but he would give her his straight answer. "No."

She baled her fists in anger. Doubt had struck her. "Don't lie to me!"

Hope looked upset as well. "I didn't!"

"So that's it? You're leaving me for her?"

He sighed as he looked toward the floor. Things wouldn't be that simple. "I'm leaving yes but it's too late for me."

There was a slight look of confusion through her anger. "Then why are you doing this? Things can work out." she attempted to convince him.

"Because it wouldn't be right." His eyes drifted off to the side. "This way I can at least set things right and try to make amends."

"Why? If it's too late then why?"

"Because…" His eyes lifted to meet with Alyssa's. There was only one answer he could give her. "I love her."

Alyssa was surprised by his confession. Disappointed and hurt, her eyes lowered toward the ground. Lightning was a little surprised as well. She didn't think he would admit that out loud but he did. She just expected him to end things. "And what makes you think that you're in love with her? What's so different about her?"

"That's just it. She's more different than anyone I've ever met. To me, she's like…" It was hard to put the words together but he tried to pick the best way to describe and compare how he felt. "She's like that rare jewel that you find in the ocean among a sea of rocks that you search for in a discovery and you're just lucky when you do find it, or she's just like that rare discovery in general like you find in science. All you want to do is hold onto it."

As Lightning listened, she crossed her arms as she sat on the counter. Her head leaned against the wall as she closed her eyes. She started to feel more of her anger toward him fade away. The thought crossed her mind that he knew she was there, but then wondered how that could have been possible. She was very careful about not being noticed. Figuring that he didn't know she was in the room, she took his words to heart as his true feelings.

As he spoke, he had almost forgotten where he was for a moment. All he could think was how overwhelmed his heart felt. A content smile came on Hope's lips as he thought more about his feelings for Lightning. "She's that one."

Alyssa gave a look of confusion to his words. "What one?"

He pressed his hand against his chest. The smile never leaving his face. "My one. My rare discovery."

Lightning's eyes opened a little as her face began to heat up. She knew he cared but not that deeply. Alyssa shook her head as she closed her eyes. She pressed her hands against her ears. "I'm not listening to anymore of this."

Hope stood up and pulled her hands away. He took both of her hands in his. "Listen. You'll find someone but…it's just not me. Okay?" Alyssa tried to look up at him but she just couldn't. Eventually, she turned her head and rushed from out of his room. Hope felt bad for having to hurt her but it needed to be settled. He returned back to sitting on the edge of the bed with his back turned from the bathroom. He rubbed the back of his head as he closed his eyes. "That's the thing about when they call it rare. It's rare for a reason. I let Light go. I won't find anyone like her ever again. I probably won't even get her back again."

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something appear. Quickly, he turned his head scared at first that someone had broken into his room, but then he relaxed once he saw who it was. "Light?" Nearby, she stood this time with a calm demeanor. Quietly, she sat down beside him. Curiously, he stared at her and blinked with surprise. He didn't understand how she got in his room. "How did you get in here? How long have you been here?"

"I was here before you came back. I've been standing in the bathroom the whole time listening."

Hope couldn't believe it. "Oh! So you heard everything?"

"Yeah especially the part about you being an idiot."

Hope laughed a little. When he opened his eyes, he looked toward the wall. Things were silent between them until he spoke. "So? Where do we go from here?"

"Hmm…" She wasn't sure. She wasn't ready to go back to where they were before.

Hope observed the expression on her face. Maybe now wasn't the time to push things so he came up with another idea. "I know. Let's start back over. Fresh start?" Hope held out his hand in front of her. "Hi! My name of Hope Estheim. I'm the Director of the Academy here in Academia."

Lightning wasn't sure about going along with it at first but eventually she shook his hand. "Lieutenant Lightning Farron. Guardian Corps division."

After they split their hands apart, he smiled gently at her. "Lightning. I know that things may not go back to being the same between us but I… at least want us to be friends."

Lightning didn't think that they could go back to being friends just like that, but at least now she could be in the same room as him without wanting to hit him or break something. "Call me Light."

Hope grinned. "Sure." Afterwards, he stood up. "Where are the soldiers that were supposed to be watching over you?"

"I sent them away." she replied.

"Good. I figured you would."

Lightning was a little surprised to hear him say "good" instead of scowling her for doing so. "Why?"

Hope looked back at her as he smiled. "I don't trust you being in this place anymore so my idea is for us to move again."

Lightning stood up curious to his idea. "Where are you planning to move this time?"

"It's more of a risk but at least we would be free to walk around more. I was thinking that we transfer into another hotel. I think there has been enough destruction done to this one."

Her eyes drifted off toward the side. "I don't know. The fact that we have to go outside might make it more of a risk."

"At this point, now that we know that someone is after you, they'll probably start checking each room next. If we go outside, we'll just make sure that no one recognizes us."

Lightning didn't think it would be so easy without seeming suspicious. "Then how are we going to get some of our stuff out of here?"

"Don't worry." he assured her. "We'll do it tonight and later I'll explain everything else that I have been meaning to for a long time now."

After the sun had set, they had all of their stuff packed and checked out of the secret room they shared together. In the cover of night, they wore hoods over their heads as they were out of uniform. They made it to a nearby hotel where they checked in under a different name. The set up for their room was the same having two beds and the necessities. Once they were settled in, Lightning stood alone staring out of the window, peeking just to see the city. The place was lit up with lights because of the buildings and other technology around.

Minutes later, Hope stepped out of the bathroom with just a pair of pants. Lightning looked over at him which he smiled. For now, it seemed that they had successfully transferred over without suspicion or being seen. He walked over and sat on his bed that was near the door. He rubbed a towel against his wet silver hair. Lightning walked over and sat beside him. "You think everything will be okay now?"

"Well… I don't have any meetings to go to tomorrow during the conference so we don't have to worry about going out too much."

"How long do you think we can keep this up? Even after this conference is over, who is to say that the same person won't still be after me?" There was a little concern in her voice.

"That's why we're going to try and find out who's been doing this." he replied assuredly.

Lightning crossed her arms. "Well we better find out soon. I'm not wasting any time getting back to New Bodhum."

Hope looked toward the floor. "To see your sister again."

Lightning's eyes traveled over to him. "Yeah."

Hope figured as soon as they find out who tried to attack her then she would be walking away from him maybe this time for good. "So? What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

He snapped out of his thoughts once he heard her voice. "Right!" He had to get back to the subject at hand. "Months before this conference started, my team at the Academy and I were working on the weapons that you seen on my computer before. One day, these soldiers came into my office saying that they wanted the plans to one of the weapons that I had been working on." Hope pulled out his computer and went to the file of the weapon that he wanted to show.

Curiously, Lightning observed every detail about it. "What is it? You didn't show this at the first meeting."

"I didn't want to because I wasn't sure who I could trust. This is a very explosive device capable of destroying an entire city. In the wrong hands, it could be use as a threat."

Confusion became written upon her face. "Then why would you make something like that?"

Hope closed his computer that was in his lap. "At the time we were just doing what the military requested as a way of keeping the peace between them and the Academy. It wasn't until someone wanted the plans before it was even completed that I thought that it was a mistake. I refused to give the plans and I was afraid that if someone saw them at the conference, that they would try to take them."

"And you didn't see who it was?"

"No but I could tell that it was a high ranking officer. I was sure that it was a woman by the voice I heard but I couldn't see her face. She, with a few other soldiers, showed up in my office but they kept their faces covered." Lightning looked toward the ground. The only woman that came to mind was Nabaat. She had to wonder what she could be up to if she had a part in all of this. "I tried to tell my father about this, but he wouldn't listen. He kept telling me that we couldn't mess things up with the military and it might cause trouble with us a government so I did the only thing I thought I could do. Instead of destroying all the work that we've done, I hid it away along with myself since I still had knowledge of it. I didn't want those same people coming back to find me. Instead of going to places where the Academy expected me to go, I went to a place that I didn't think anyone would find me."

"New Bodhum." Lightning filled in the answer.

Hope nodded to her response. "The place was small enough. I figured that nothing much happens there."

"You would probably be right."

"At first when I met you, I thought that maybe it was a bad idea to associate with anyone from the military because I wasn't sure who I could trust, but as I got to know you I could see that you wanted nothing to do with that nor did you know who I was. At one point, I thought about asking for your help, but then I thought that I couldn't get you involved like that. The less people who knew the better. I wanted to protect you just in case the same soldiers found out you knew me and started asking questions. That's why I thought it was better if you didn't know who I was either. I still needed to be hidden at least until this conference was over."

"I see. Still, you could have just told me this and we would have figured something out together."

"I know but I just didn't want anything bad to happen and…I thought… it might ruin my chances with you since you would have had to turn me in. I also wanted to tell you about Alyssa but I thought that you would never give me a chance if you knew. I wanted nothing more than to end that relationship with her so I could be with you freely but I couldn't let her know where I was either. The Academy would have just come to find me if they knew I contacted her. This is why I kept all of this stuff away from you. I'm sorry."

Lightning sat in silence taking in everything she just heard. Hope smiled a little. "To answer your question before, there was only one girlfriend that I had before you, but as you heard me say before, it didn't work because I didn't feel anything toward her." His eyes turned to her. "When I met you, that all changed."

After he finished, Lightning didn't say anything but only took in his words. Hope lifted his eyes as he tried to think of what else he thought he should tell her. "Other than that… I've pretty much just live here in the city by myself."

"Is that all?" she asked curiously.

"I think so. There's not much else to tell about me. Everything else I told you about me in New Bodhum was true."

"Hmm…" Finally Lightning had gotten her answer as to what was going on with him. For now, she wasn't sure where she should go from there as far as the situation he and they were in now or as far as a relationship, but for now she was just glad that he explained everything. She looked over at him. "I'm glad that you told me."

He smiled a little. "I just hope that now that you can forgive me." Once she thought about it, she knew that it would still take some time to forgive him, but eventually she knew she could. "Hey Light! Can I ask you something?"

She left her thoughts and looked at him. "Yeah?"

"While I was trying to look up the soldiers that could have possibly been the ones who spoke to me before, I came across your file and I noticed something."

She looked curious. "What's that?"

"Your name. It's not really Lightning." As she stared at him, he smiled nervously. "I tried not to look at it but it was hard. So? Is it true?"

"Yeah." It had been a long time since she heard her name spoken. "My real name is Claire."

A smile came across his lips. "Claire. It's a really nice name. Why did you change it?"

"I thought that it could use a change when I entered the military. Lightning was a nickname given to me because of how fast they said I could move. There one minute, gone the next, never striking in the same place twice. It just stuck. My father liked it, but after he was gone, I began to use it more since I needed to be strong for Serah." To show that he understood, Hope nodded. Soon, Lightning looked over toward him, curious. There was something on her mind that she wanted to ask a while back. "So? Back in the room when you were talking to her, did you mean everything you said?"

"Yes." Soon after, he looked a little confused. "Why?"

Inside Lightning was glad to hear that. Soon, she stood up from his bed and went to her own by the window. "Good night Hope."

He was surprised that she was going to bed now but he just smiled, letting go of his question. "Good night Light."

* * *

_Thank you for reading! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_


	20. Restart

_**Author's Note Please Read!:** First, thank you to everyone who has kept up with the story, sent in reviews, and added this to your alerts and favorites! I appreciate all the responses that I received!_

_So I thought I would give a warning about this chapter. If there was someone wondering when a lemon was going to come, well... this is the chapter that it happens! I gave this warning just in case there were any readers that wanted to continue with the story, but skip over the lemon. I don't have a line for when the lemon starts, but I do have it where it ends so if you do skip it, then just go to that second line. _

_I hope that you will like this chapter of the story!_

* * *

_Chapter 20: Restart:_

As the days had passed, Hope and Lightning spent their time together in the room they shared for the most part. There were a few times that Hope had to leave to check on things with the Academy and to see if there was any word on who tried to hurt Lightning, but each time there was nothing to report. He was just glad that every time he returned back to the hotel that there was no one watching him. It surprised him and made him think that maybe who tried to hurt her had backed off for now.

At sunset when he returned back to the room, he walked in to see Lightning standing by the window. Sometimes, she would walk over to look out of it despite his warnings, but he could understand. She wasn't one to constantly stay inside all of the time. A smile appeared on his face as an idea came to mind.

A few hours after, Lightning was eating some of the food that he brought in before he took off. Her eyes traveled over to see him step by the window. She became curious once she saw him kneel down. He pulled back the curtains a little and opened the window. She stood up and walked over as he placed something out of the window. Afterwards, he kneeled down toward a device that he had placed on the ground. "What are you doing?"

He looked back at her as he displayed a smile. "You'll see." After pressing a few buttons, a projection came up showing the outside view from where they were. She was surprised and impressed to see the invention at work. Hope stood up from off the floor. "Now instead of opening the curtain, we can get a view from the outside. This could be helpful just in case anyone found us."

Lightning stared at the projection. Even if she couldn't go outside, he brought it right in for her. Afterwards, she noticed Hope walk away and sit back on his bed as he grabbed the food that he brought with him. It seemed that since they been there the past few days, he has been doing everything he could to take sure that she wasn't going crazy being stuck in the small room all day. Sometimes he helped to make the time pass by faster that she wouldn't notice it until later. Little did he know how much that he was helping.

As night came over Academia, Lightning stared at the projected sky that was right by her bedside. Her hands rested behind her head on her pillow. It was peaceful and nice watching the scene. Her eyes traveled over to see that Hope was looking over at the sky as well. Once he noticed that she was looking, he smiled. His hands were behind his head as well. "You can turn it off whenever you want."

She turned her head back to the screen. "It's okay. So? This is what you get to see while you're here?"

"Yeah but the view was much nicer in New Bodhum."

"This was the place that you were talking about where you couldn't see the stars."

"Yeah. I would like to go back to see that place someday." After hearing that, Lightning's eyes traveled downwards. She turned over on her side with her back toward him. Hope wondered if he had said something wrong. He sat up on his elbows. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No. You should go back…if you want to." He wasn't sure if she meant to just see the sights or to go back to see her. Either way, he hoped to see both.

The next day, Hope traveled back to the conference for a short meeting with the Academy, but afterwards he came back to the hotel room. There, Lightning was already wake. She looked over to see him heading into the room. "Hey."

He smiled toward her. "Hey."

Curious she stood up from her bed. "How did everything go?"

"Everything ran fine." He rubbed the back of his head as he stepped in front of her. "It's still weird though. It seems like none of the soldiers are looking for you."

"Did you make sure that you weren't followed?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah." He held up a bag toward her. "Brought food."

Lightning crossed her arms and looked toward the projection that she left on of the outside. "You keep me locked up like this then I'm not sure that I'll be ready to fight."

Hope smiled. "Sorry but fighting with gunblades in here will result in me paying more for the room with all the damage we could cause."

She arched her eyebrow. She felt that she could control her gunblade easily. "You mean that you would cause. I've never seen you use one."

He gave a slight shrug. "Tried a little. Kind of have another weapon of choice."

Lightning stared at the sky projection as she held onto her arms. "Hey Hope?"

Curiously, his eyes traveled over to her. "Yeah?"

She didn't turn to look at him. Her bangs covered her eyes from the side of where he was standing on. "Thank you."

A little surprise crossed over his expression. "For what?"

"For everything you've done. I know that I rather be out there fighting whoever is trying to kill me, but since I'm not, I guess listening to you was the next best thing."

Hope was surprised that she said so, but afterwards his smile increased. "Wow! Is that your way of saying that I was right?"

She gave him a slight frown. "Don't push it." She turned herself toward him. "You saved my life twice. You got me out of that hotel and volunteered your life to help me."

"It's no big deal. I was glad to do it."

"I forgive you."

Stunned, he turned silent as he wasn't sure what she told him at first. "Wha-? What did you say?"

Lightning gave him a sincere look. "You wanted my forgiveness. I forgive you."

Hope turned more toward her. "You don't have to just because of all of this."

"It wasn't just because of this. It was other things that I thought of being here like this."

Hope was still a little surprised but he was grateful. "If you're sure."

Lightning could see that he still seemed unsure. She stepped over and took his hand. "You did what you said you were going to do since you've been here. I can't stay mad at you for that."

There was glimpse of regret in his eyes. "I am sorry that I hurt you."

Lightning stepped over and wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him. "I know."

In return, Hope wrapped his arms around her tightly as he closed his eyes. "I never wanted to. Please know that."

The two parted inches away. Their eyes lifted up to each other. "Besides, if it wasn't for you, I would have busted out of this place the first day you brought me here."

Hope let out a grin. "So I take it that I'm easing the pain of being stuck here?"

"A little." she answered.

He smiled more which in return made her smile. It made him happy to see that smile again and glad that he had the chance to embrace her. It told him that he was on the right road. Soon, things turned silence as they kept their eyes toward each other. Already, they could feel their feelings coming back up between them. Taking a chance with his hands still on her waist, slowly he pulled her closer in. His mind told him that it was a bad idea to push things when they just got back on good terms, but it was hard not to close again. He resisted the urge to get any closer, thinking hopefully that she assumed he was going in for another hug or something. Maybe he could pretend as if he was doing so.

Lightning stared into his eyes a little before she leaned in. She wasn't sure about going through with what she was thinking, knowing that it could come back to bite her, but she would just have to trust that things could work again. Her lips pressed against his as she closed her eyes. For the past few days, she had time to think about everything he had done, weighing the good with the bad. It seemed that more good outweighed the bad. Even then, she still felt happy with him. If she could forgive him, then maybe she was willing to try again. After all, her heart still felt something toward him.

Hope returned the kiss, tightly embracing her. He was glad that it was happening. For some time, he thought that he lost his chance as far as her, but now this was proof that showed otherwise. For minutes, they spent time with their lips connected to each other until Lightning separated from him as she looked up. "There's not anything else you're holding back on me are you?"

Hope spent some time catching his breath. "No. Just ask me anything you want."

She arched her eyebrow. "Really?"

Nervously, Hope smiled. "I learned my lesson from last time." Soon, he placed his hands on the side of both of her arms. "Listen. I know that I have messed up time and time again, but you have to know none of that was intentional to hurt you. I just wasn't sure about what to do, but all I knew was that I couldn't lose you no matter what. Like I said before, words I say can mean nothing without action and I wanted to do everything I could to show you that I'm being honest with you, for you to forgive me, and for you to know that I care about you so much." Deeply, he stared into her eyes. "I…I still love you." A smile formed on his face. He was a little nervous, but saying all the words that were on his heart, he had nothing to lose by saying them. "I smile every time you're right there and when I think of you. I have fun when you're around even if you think differently." His smile increased more. "I-I just wanted you to know no matter what you decide happens from here, I'll respect your decision."

As Lightning listened, she just stared at him. Her expression didn't change once. It was hard to tell how she had taken his words. Interested, she took that opportunity that was on her mind. She grabbed him by his tie, pulling his lips back to hers in a deep kiss. He was surprised by her sudden move. "Just know that next time… if you lie to me like that again…I will have to kill you." she warned him between kisses. Her breaths had become hot and heavy.

"Understood." Partly his mind was clouded being underneath the influence of her. By his neck, he felt something moving. By the time he looked down, he realized that she was untying his tie from around his neck. He became curious and confused. "What are you doing?"

"Just follow along." was all the words that she left him with. Soon, he could feel her loosen his tie and utility belt from around his shoulder and waist completely. She tossed them against her bed.

He parted from her as he opened his eyes. He placed his hands against her shoulders. "Are you sure about this?"

Closely, she stood against him with their bodies inches apart. "Yes." Shortly after, their lips met again. His fingers reached underneath her white tank top and raised it up over her head. He tossed it along the floor, leaving her bare skin pressing against his coat. Afterwards, her eyes lifted up to him. "Do you have something with you?"

Taking a few seconds to think about it, he figured out what she was talking about. Neither one of them were ready for any unexpected surprises. "Yeah."

She arched her eyebrow. "And you brought them here? Already planning to get lucky?"

Nervously, he smiled. "No. I still had them from the other night when we were about to do this and I just left them in my bag."

"Right…"

"What? It's true." A smile came across her lips as she moved in again. His fingers ran gently along her cheek. He moved back in seeing no object from her about continuing and pressed his lips against her.

As they stepped over to the other side of the room, they left a trail of clothes from the window to where his bed was. Her back became pressed against the mattress as he lied in beside her. For minutes, his hands explored and ran across her body. His fingers caressed the most sensitive mounds of her chest along with his mouth and tongue. Heat rose up into her cheeks as she closed her eyes. More, she felt herself only focusing on what he was doing to her. Her breaths became heavier. The tension she could feel between her legs was growing.

Seeing the looks of pleasure on her face and hearing the sounds that escaped from her lips had only made him want to pursue her further. His lips came over hers, devouring them as he pulled her head over toward his. Her open lips allowed his tongue to enter in and play with hers. Still, he continued to tease her making her legs split further apart, ready for whatever he planned to do with her. Her hands rubbed against his hard chest to his back. One of his hands traveled further down, sliding along her stomach. The tips of his fingers move within the hidden split in search for her sensitive spot. Once he felt the small, protruded flesh, he began to stroke against it.

Instantly, her body jolted in reaction to his touch. Sound escaped from her lips as she separated her lips from his. It felt as if her body was losing control as the intense feelings only grew stronger. Her back began to arch as she couldn't hold back her cries. Soon, he sat up and let his body come over hers. "Are you ready?"

Lightning barely opened her eyes. Through her hazy and breathless state, all she could do was give him a nod. With her help, she guided him toward her moist opening. As he slowly pressed in, she could feel an uncomfortable pain coursing through her. Her eyes stared upwards as he adjusted himself inside. He leaned forward toward her. "Are you okay?"

Her hands wrapped around his shoulders. "Yeah. Just go slow."

He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. At first, he started off slowly trying to give it time so that her hurt would go away. He continued to kiss her and caress the sensitive areas of her chest to help ease it. A few times, she closed her eyes tight as she grabbed onto his arms. Overtime, she felt her pain go away and become replaced with a calmer feeling. Her body remain relaxed until she suddenly felt pleasure deep within. Her breathing became louder and erratic. More and faster, he pushed into her. His hands grabbed onto her legs, making them rise up more and hang by his waist. The world around them seemed to disappear as they transported into another one where it was just the two of them. Their minds clear only feeling what was going on between them now.

Tightly, her fingers grabbed at the blanket that her body was lying on. Hope closed his eyes as he sighed out in satisfaction. Around him, he could feel her insides tightening. It was unlike anything he ever felt. It was incredible. Along with that feeling, he felt his oncoming release. His body began to slow down, careful and trying his best not to finish without her yet. As soon as he did, her body took over moving faster against him. All her body wanted to do was keep this amazing feeling going. Shortly after, she felt that deep pleasure within. With her end coming, her body trembled. Louder, she cried out. Her head tilted back as her back arched. He leaned forward with his body hovering over her. Against her, he pushed back as hard as he could.

At this point, he didn't how things would end. His hand grabbed onto hers, intertwining his fingers with hers and pressed her hand back hard against the mattress. A low groan came out of his throat as he closed his eyes tight. He could feel more air leaving his body than coming in. Through his skin, he could feel her nails digging deep through his hand and through his shoulder that her other hand was on, but it became easy to ignore the pain. Her legs closed in tighter around his waist.

Suddenly, she felt it. With one last cry, the result departing from within of her. Everything inside her felt very warm and moist. She took a deep breath. It felt as if something had some kind of hold over her but then finally it let go, allowing her to breathe again. Exhausted, her body laid limp and unmoving. She opened her eyes to see Hope still over her. She could hear him breathing hard just as much as he could hear her. "Did you-?"

He nodded a few times. "Yeah... You?"

"Yeah." Carefully, he removed himself from her and keeping what he let out covered in the protection around his member. Giving himself a moment to rest, he let his body drop onto the bed beside her with his back to the mattress. The two closed their eyes, permitting their bodies to settle down from their first experience not just together but overall. Minutes later, Hope rose up and headed toward the bathroom as Lightning lied still with her eyes closed. When he returned back, he wore just a pair of boxers. He slipped back underneath the covers beside her. She joined him underneath the blanket as well with her body leaning against his. Her head resting against him as her arm ran across his chest. Both of them closed their eyes settling in as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Minutes later, they both fell asleep.

* * *

When Lightning opened her eyes again, she looked over to see that the room was lit with a dimmer orange. Looking at projection that was across the room, she saw that the sky had turned to sunset. She turned her head over toward Hope to see that his eyes were still close. She figured that he must've fallen asleep as well and they both had been out for a couple of hours. She breathed out a little as she leaned her head back against his shoulder. There was no rush to leave anywhere so she decided to just lie there with him. Her mind traveled back to earlier to what happened between them. It was a big step but she didn't find herself regretting it. Instead, she felt closer to him. "Are you okay?"

Lightning left her thoughts and lifted her head up toward him. She sat up from him on her elbows. "Yeah. Why?"

"Just asking." Hope took in the vision of her before him. The way her bangs covered over her eye and how ruffled her hair was. That brought a smile to his face. She was curious by the way he was staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing. I'm just surprised that's all. Why did you decide to do this with me?"

Lightning shrugged. "I just did." Afterwards, she laid back with her head against his arm and her back against the mattress.

Hope grinned becoming more interested. "You just did?" In silence, she stared upwards. "No hints?" There was no response. His eyes traveled to the side as he began to think. "Let's see... You told me before that like me, you were waiting for the right person to come along. You also told me once that you loved me on that same night. Is that still true? Do you still love me?"

For a few seconds, she just stared up quietly. After what happened, there was nothing to hide. "Yes. I do still…love you."

A smile of relief came on his face. It was nice to hear her say so again. At least now it let him know that things could work out between them again. He relaxed against his bed as he looked up as well. As they lied there in silence, a question crossed his mind. He got nervous at the thought but he was curious to know. "So…? Was things okay?"

Lightning grabbed onto the edge of the covers that was on her chest. "Yeah. It was nice." There was almost no need for him to ask with how she remembered the way she reacted to what he did. It was as if another person had completely taken over her. "You?"

A smile came on his face. "Yeah. It was nice." It was like a wish come true being with her like that. It was worth seeing the way she responded to him. Afterwards, he sat up. "Just one thing."

She sat up on her elbows as she arched her eyebrow. "And what's that?"

His back was turned toward her. He looked back as he grinned. "Can you check me for scratches? You put your nails in there pretty deep." he asked jokily.

She crossed her arms against her chest as she sat back. Her eyes drifted over toward the side. It wasn't her intention to hurt him during, but she could barely control what her body did as it was. "I'm sure you're fine."

He wanted to laugh but kept it to himself. "You want any food?"

* * *

_Thanks for reading! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_


	21. Day and Night

_**Author's Note Please Please Read!**: Thank you to everyone who has sent in reviews, added this to your favorites and alerts, and kept up with the story. Now there's only one thing left to say... _

_ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, this story has reached 100 reviews! Thank you to each and everyone personally! From those who reviewed every time to those who sent even one! Everyone counts and I'm really grateful to everyone! Everyone is awesome! So thank you guys SO much! Everyone is what makes this story a success!  
_

_Also one other thing to point out. So about the chapter, this is sort of a side chapter of what I like to call Lemon Lime Pleasure Time. The chapter is nothing but that so if anyone wants to skip over it, I understand. It's not important to the story and just something to add in off of the last chapter. _

_For everyone that does read, I hope that you will like it! Thank you to everyone again for reading! _

* * *

_Chapter 21: Day and Night: _

Early the next morning, Lightning awoke to see the sun shining in through the curtains of their room. Hope was lying next to her with his arm wrapped around her waist and his head leaning against her back still asleep. It was struggle to slip out of his arms without waking him, but she managed to get out of his embrace. She headed toward the bathroom, thinking that she would start the day off with a shower especially after yesterday.

After she closed the door, Hope began to stir and wake up as well. He opened his eyes to see that Lightning was gone. Nearby, he could hear the water going through the door. He sighed as he closed his eyes. All his body wanted to do was sleep, but another idea came into his mind that urged him to do otherwise. If things work out between them longer like he hoped, then he would have plenty of time to try his idea another time. Then again, this could be the one time when they were alone that he could try and who knew when there would be another chance. Interested with the new step they taken in their relationship, he opened his eyes as he got ready to pursue after the woman that was behind that door.

Inside, Lightning closed her eyes as she let the water from the showerhead hit her skin and run along the curves of her body. She rubbed her hands against her eyelids as they were closed. The warm water felt good against her skin, making her want to spend a few extra minutes of just standing there. As she remained distracted by the water, quietly the bathroom door opened. A smile came upon Hope's lips as he saw that she didn't notice that he was coming in. He moved in closer, making it to the glass shower door and opening it without being detected.

Lightning opened her eyes and thought of what she needed to do next until suddenly she felt arms wrap around her body, enclosing her arms so that she wouldn't attack. The mysterious assailant placed his lips against her neck as a devious smirk came on his face. She looked behind her a little surprised. "Hope?"

"Good morning." He placed a few kisses on her neck before she turned more toward him. There was a frown to her face. "Don't try to sneak up on me like that. What are you doing in here?"

"I thought that if you were taking a shower that I could save time and take one too."

She arched her eyebrow. "And who said that you could take one with me?"

"I thought I could help. I could do something like wash your back."

Lightning sighed. She wanted to spend some time alone, but then thought it wouldn't hurt to let him help. "Fine." She handed him soap and a cloth to help. For a few minutes, she stood with her back turned to him. Slowly, he worked on her back, but soon placed what she gave him aside. Slowly, his hands began to slide against her back and made a side trip toward her hips. A little heat rose to her face. She looked back toward him upset. "Just keep it on the back."

In response, he let out an innocent smile. "I thought that this was a part of your back as well." Her head turned back forward as he placed his hands on the side of her waist. He leaned his head on top of her shoulder. "Is there anything else that you need help with?"

She could feel his hands rising from her stomach up to the side of her chest. Clearly, she could tell his intentions now. The teasing got her a little interested, but overall she wasn't in any mood. "No. I think I got it from here." She placed his hands down before they got close to her chest. She was about to continue on with her shower, but it wasn't that easy to get rid of him. Again, he returned with his hands wrapped around her waist.

Red flooded her cheeks as she could feel him pressed behind her especially her hips. She didn't need to look to see that he was ready to go for something like what happened between them yesterday. His fingers came underneath her chin, turning her head back toward him as much as she could. As soon as his lips met with hers, her eyes closed responding back with a kiss as well.

Moments later, a muffled moan escaped from her lips. Once again his fingers were teasing her, caressing and pulling gently at her hardened center of her bosom. Her hand rose up to stop him, but the hand that was under her chin came and took her hand away. He placed it at her side, intertwined her fingers with his. More, her body began to give into him with every second his fingers moved against her. Her hand that he had trapped on the side of her leg slipped from underneath his.

The thought crossed his mind that she was attempting to stop him, but instead she raised her arm, placing her hand on the back of his neck. With his hand free, he rose up to meet her other bosom. At that moment all her mind and body wanted was him. The tips of his fingers lightly touched the skin of her stomach and moved further downwards. They reached in between her thighs and began to rub against her sensitive flesh. She breathed out as she tilted her head back.

She wanted him to do more. Thoughts crossed her mind of how it could be better. Lightning broke away him which he looked surprised. Maybe she did want him to stop. He watched as she ran her fingers through her wet hair and other hand rub against her leg, but then stepped over closer to the wall. She glanced back at him in silence with a look in her eyes that told him to still chase. She waited patiently.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him approaching her. Once he got close enough, she turned toward him. Her lips met his in a passionate, anxious kiss. After she separated from him, she turned her back to him, leading his hand against the back of her hand. He began to leave a trail of kisses against her shoulder. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands against the tiled wall with one of his hands still pushing down on top of hers. He leaned against her with his arm wrapped against her. He continued with what he was doing earlier, teasing her upper body.

Again, she could feel that same heat rising inside of her. His fingers returned back between her thighs and stroked her once more. She held her head down as it pressed her forehead against the back of her hands. At his touch, her body began to bend over and out slightly toward him. As her lips parted more so did her legs. Heavily, she began to pant eventually letting her breath turn into sound.

Suddenly, she felt him slow down and herself turned around with her back against the wall. She wondered why. Things were just as she wanted with him completely taking over. His lips met with her for a short time, but then he began to lower his body along with his lips. He moved along her chest until he kneeled down in front of her. He opened up her stance of her legs more to where he could move in between her. Soon, she felt his mouth along with tongue going over her sensitive flesh. As she watched him, she couldn't believe that he was doing so. By touch alone, he began to caress her upper body.

Her head leaned back as she began to think. Her fingers ran through his silver hair. She thought about just telling him that if he wanted to try that they could move back toward the bed, but then she felt something. A blush came across her face. Little by little, she could feel the sensation growing. Her head tilted back. Her lips parted as she started to breathe hard. A little harder she grabbed onto strands of his hair.

"Hope." she whispered. Still, she thought that they could move this somewhere else, but it was too late. Slowly, her eyes lowered to her close. The sensation she experienced was beginning to get stronger. Suddenly, she took a sharp breath in. She had no idea what he was doing to her but it was working. "Hope…" This time she called out louder to him not to stop him, but just letting his name slip off her tongue. Her body began to tremble, mainly her legs. Letting him continue, she pressed her head back against the wall as sound began to escape. She kept one hand tightening onto his hair. The other hand hit and pressed against the foggy glass, leaving behind her handprint.

Minutes later, she felt her legs weakened. She wanted to sit after she was done, but Hope stood up holding onto her. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her face became buried into his neck as she was breathing hard. She rested there in silence until her body suddenly jumped. Her embrace around him tightened as she let out a small yell. He looked surprised as he didn't know why she reacted in such a way. "What?"

She lifted her head from him with an upset look. "You let the water get cold." Against her back, she felt the cold substance making her even colder.

He smiled a little. "It's all right. I'll keep you warm."

The offer didn't lighten her frown one bit. Still she didn't let go of him since he was still warm. "That's not helping. Now I can't finish taking a shower. I'll have to wait until it gets warm again." Shivering, she managed to turn off the freezing water and stepped out.

Minutes later, Hope was sitting on his bed, dressed in a shirt and shorts. Lightning was lying against him on the bed with her head against his stomach. She changed as well into a shirt and a skirt. Her hands were resting on her stomach. He looked down at her to see that she was watching television and wouldn't look at him. A smile curved at his lips as he became curious. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No but that's the last time I let you take a shower with me."

"Oh come on. I wasn't so bad."

"As soon as you came in, that's when it was pretty much over."

Things turned silence for a little, but then Hope smiled again thinking back. "But you know that you liked it."

Lightning's eyes drifted off to the side as her face turned a little red. She crossed her arms against her stomach as she pouted. "That's not the point."

Hope tilted his head, seeing her mildly upset. "Just admit it. It was fun having me in there and you especially liked what I did."

Lightning closed her eyes, still upset. "Shut up..." Hope continued to look down at her grinning. "Anyway since I couldn't finish this morning, I might just try again later. You're not invited."

"I'll be on my best behavior. This time instead of a shower how about a bath where we don't have to worry about running out of hot water?"

The offer did sound relaxing. "Fine. This time, your hands don't move anywhere."

"I can't promise that."

She sighed as she closed her eyes. "I let you get me once and now you can't keep your hands off me. What have you turned into?"

"Nothing. I'm still the same. I can't help if I like putting my hands on you or the cute little sounds you make."

Lightning crossed her arms as she let out a frown. "It's not cute. Get that straight right now."

* * *

Later that night, the two sat in a nice, warm bath with bubbles surround their bodies. Lightning sat between his legs leaning her head back against his chest. Her eyes were closed along with Hope's. For the minutes they were in there, everything was peaceful and silence just the way she wanted it. Minutes later, Hope opened his eyes and looked over at her. "See. This isn't so bad."

"Yeah seeing that you stayed on your best behavior."

A mischievous grin came on his face. "Now what fun would that be if I did?"

She glared back at him. "I will hurt you if you do anything."

"Really?" His fingers began tickling her at her waist. "Even if I do that?"

Instantly, she struggled to pull his hands away. "Stop it." Hope listened and stopped. She looked back at him. "None of that."

His forehead leaned on the back of her head as his arms were wrapped around her. "If you want." She leaned her head back against him as she closed her eye and relaxed. It was getting hard for him to just sit still with her right in front of him. He leaned in thinking that a little teasing wouldn't hurt them. His lips grabbed along her earlobe, kissing it and running his tongue against her skin. The sensation felt ticklish to the point that there was a brief smile that left from her, but she tilted her head toward the side to get away from him. He came after her and caught her again. This time she smiled more, but then turned back toward him. "Having fun there?"

He moved in again and pressed his lips against her cheek. "A little."

She turned her body more toward him. His playful advantages made her a little interested. For a few seconds, she caught a glimpse of his eyes before she moved in and her lips met with his. At first, she figured they could just sit there and relax without getting into anything, but it wouldn't hurt to just indulge in a little kiss.

One kiss turned into more. They lost track of how long they had been sitting together. His hands caressed against her shoulders and down further against her arms. The more they became intertwined with each other, the further she felt him move across the rest of her body. Before they knew it, things had gotten heated between them. Sounds began to escape from her lips as she felt his fingers rubbing between her legs in her sensitive spot. Her head tilted back against his shoulder as the heat rose hot within her cheeks. Her eyes remained closed as her mind focused on the feeling that he was giving her.

As the sensation grew stronger, her body began to shake and tense uncontrollably. Her legs wanted to close in on his hand, but he held them back with his own legs, struggling against her own strength. With her body still sitting on top of his, she began to rub her hips in his lap following the rhythm of his fingers. Hope's eyes drifted to a close as she was starting to affect him as well. He breathed out feeling a similar sensation to her. As things continued on further between them, she cried out louder, more than she had before to the point of screaming. It became harder to control the volume of her voice.

Minutes later, Hope sat back as he was breathing hard relaxing with his back against the cool surface behind him. His body rested for a few seconds recovering from the intense release that had just left him. He ran his soaking wet fingers through his silver hair. Again, it felt amazing just being with her even if what she did was unintentional. Against his chest, he could hear Lightning breathing hard with her head resting against him along with her arm. Her eyes were closed as she was slowly coming back to reality. With that, memories of what happened mainly the sounds. Even she didn't realize how loud she could get. She placed her hand against her head as her face began to turn red. She let herself slid deeper into the water until she immersed herself completely. Hope looked surprised and curious as to what she was doing. "Light?"

Later, Lightning was sitting in one of the hotel robes with her eyes staring toward the television. Hope, who was dressed, tilted his head curiously at her. Once she saw him out of the corner of her eye staring, she turned her eyes away as she looked a little upset. A smile came upon his lips. "Are you still on about that?"

"No." Her eyes glanced over to him. "By the way, you are not taking anything with me again."

He laughed a little. He couldn't help it. When she was pouty, she looked very cute. "You really shouldn't worry about it. I'm sure that no one heard you and even if someone did, who cares?"

Red began to return to her face as she looked upset. "I thought the point of this was so that we wouldn't be noticed."

"And I'm sure we weren't."

"So much for telling me that you would be on your best behavior." she muttered. She thought that she could spend time with him without getting caught up with him again, but it happened so fast. One minute, she was just kissing him and the next she just wanted to bury herself in the water in embarrassment for screaming out like a crazy woman.

A nervous smile came on his face. "I was…for most of it." Hope placed his finger up to lips as he tilted his head thinking. "Wait… There was…"

Lightning looked over curious once he spoke. "What?"

"When I went over by the door, I did see a note from management."

She was a little surprised. "What did it say?"

"Maybe it was a noise complaint." Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. She placed her hand against her face. She knew it. She was pretty sure the floors below and above them heard her. Then, she heard snickering from nearby. When she looked over, she saw Hope with his eyes closed, grinning. Instantly, she got upset. "It's not funny."

"I'm stopping, but seriously I'm sure you're fine." Afterwards, he moved and sat beside her. He leaned against her as he smiled a little. He thought that tonight was worth it. "You have to admit that it wasn't so bad."

Her eyes drifted toward the side. Despite what happened, she couldn't complain. "Hmm…"

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! More action is on the way! Less than ten chapters to go now! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update soon!_


	22. Let The Hunt Begin

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone that has been keeping up with the story, sending in reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts! I really appreciate all the feedback that I've been given and enjoyed reading all the reviews!_

_Time to get back on track with the story as conflict continues. __As a warning, one more short lemon toward the end, but it's the last one of this story. __I hope that you will like this chapter of the story! _

* * *

_Chapter 22: Let the Hunt Begin: _

After one of his meetings was over, Hope stepped out into the hallway alone dressed in his Academy uniform. He thought with the time that he had left, he could stop somewhere for food before returning back to his room at the other hotel. With afternoon upon them, he was sure that Lightning was awake.

"Oh Director!"

Leaving his thoughts, he stopped and turned around. There he saw Colonel Nabaat standing with her hand placed upon her hip. He was surprised that she was addressing him personally. "Yes? Can I help you?" At first, he recognized her as the woman from the few meetings that he had with her, but then remembered seeing her when the other officers were assassinated at the last meeting that Lightning attended. With the other PSICOM officers, she watched as everything happened. Right then, his suspicion of her grew.

She smiled as she adjusted her glasses. "Quite a meeting that we had today."

"Um? Yes." More, he became suspicious of her and felt on edge being around her. He doubted that she stopped him just to talk about some meeting. No. There had to be some other motive that she was after. He only remembered meeting her during the conference and speaking with her briefly. Other than that, they had no other association with each other.

Nabaat removed her glasses with the tips of her fingers and placed it near her lips. "I noticed that Lieutenant Farron didn't attend the meeting. The last time I've seen the General, he told me that he had no idea where she was. So I was wondering… do you have any idea of where she could be?"

Hope felt uneasy, but kept his composure. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"You know her don't you?" Nabaat asked rhetorically fully aware that she knew the answer to that question. Now it was just a matter if she could catch him in a lie if he did tell one.

"Yes. We only met briefly." Hope answered.

She arched her eyebrow as she gave an interested smile. "Really? I was under the impression that you two were a little more than a brief encounter."

A little confusion was written across his face. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"On the first day of this conference, the Lieutenant violently attacked you in the hall." Nabaat pointed out, remembering that day clearly.

Hope had no idea that she saw that, but hoped that was the only thing she saw. "Oh! It was an accident. I must've made her upset, but it was nothing."

"I see. So? How is your arm?"

He looked surprised that she asked that. "My arm?"

A smirk displayed on her lips. "You were shot right there, protecting the Lieutenant from being killed like the other officers. For someone you just met, you took a big risk on your own life. That's a very unselfish thing to do for a complete stranger."

"Well I just saw the ones who were getting ready to shoot and I thought I would help." Hope wanted to raise his own suspicions about that day, but held back because he thought it might give her more reason to believe that he was watching after Lightning. Instead, another question came to mind. "Why are you so curious as to where Lieutenant Farron is?"

Nabaat crossed her arms. "I just thought it was a little unfair that's all. She gets to be excused from these dry meetings."

Hope looked upset, letting more of his emotions show. "The woman was almost killed twice. It wouldn't be smart for her to show up when there are people threatening to kill her."

"I guess you're right…which reminds me. You were there to save her the first time as well. Convenient especially since you don't know her. The two of you ran off together didn't you?"

Hope pressed down on his teeth. The woman knew too much. Was she spying on him? "I don't know what you're talking about. It sounds like you're following me Colonel."

Nabaat let out a grin as she closed her eyes. "Not really. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Why do you want to find her?"

"I just thought that I would be a good member of the council and brief her on everything she has missed."

Hope frowned. With his suspicions on mind, there was no way he was going to let her anywhere near Lightning. "Hmm… I'm sure that someone will brief her just like with the General."

Nabaat left him with a smile before she turned and walked in the other direction. Hope was still uneasy, but he walked away watching his back. More, he began to suspect that she had something to do with what was happening to Lightning.

As Nabaat traveled through the hall with the back of her hand to her chin, she noticed a familiar face come out of the crowd that was in the meeting. She reacted with surprise. The look on the young lady's face seemed to be upset. "Excuse me?" The girl stopped and looked back. At first, Nabaat was going to try and figure out more clues to if the Director knew the whereabouts of Lightning, but decided after speaking with him to find a little more information, that he wasn't going to budge that much on giving her any. It was then she was going to let it go and try again later. That was until she spotted the young woman. "I saw you a few times. You were with the Director. Are you apart of his team?"

The girl frowned and began walking off. Curious, Nabaat went after her and stopped in front of her. "I'm sorry. Was that a rude question to ask of you?"

The girl crossed her arms. Her eyes drifted off to the side with a hint of sadness in them. "No… It's just… If you have any questions for the Director, then you should ask him yourself."

Nabaat tilted her head. "You seem…very upset. Is there anything I can do to help?"

The girl looked surprised. This woman didn't even know her yet she offered. "Um? It's…okay."

Nabaat thought the girl could maybe be of some use to her so she continued to press on. "Are you sure? You look as if you need someone to talk to. Offer still stands. I usually have helpful advice." The girl stared down toward the ground. "I see. Sorry to have bothered you." Nabaat turned and began walking away. She kept going until she heard the girl's voice.

"Wait." She caught up with her. "Sorry if I seemed rude earlier. I'm just…"

"Angry?" Nabaat turned back toward her. "We all get that way sometimes. Do you mind telling me your position at the Academy? It seems as if it's a high one. After all, you are on their top team."

The girl lifted her eyes. "I'm the Director's assistant. My name is Alyssa Zaidelle."

Part of her lips couldn't help but curve into a smirk. Nabaat stepped over toward her and held out her hand toward Alyssa. This just might give her the answers that she had been searching for. "It's nice to meet you Alyssa. My! The Director's assistant. That must be an honor."

Alyssa's eyes turned toward the side as she pouted. "Some honor…" she muttered.

As she recalled, Nabaat remembered seeing her the day that Lightning attacked Hope. "You don't sound happy about it. Is the Director treating you well?"

Some of the sadness began to seep through Alyssa's expression. "It's not that. It's just…" Again, she could feel the heartache that for days she had been trying to get over.

Nabaat let out a smile. "Tell you what. Come out with me to lunch my treat. Hopefully that will make you feel better."

Alyssa was surprised by her gracious offer and followed along with her after thinking about it. "All right."

* * *

Still feeling troubled, Hope returned back to his hotel room. He was careful to look around and checked to see if anyone could be following him, but he didn't see anyone. It was all he could hope was that no one followed where he went. After speaking with Nabaat, it only made his paranoia grow. When Hope opened the door and stepped inside, he saw Lightning sitting on his bed with his phone pressed to her ear.

"Yeah." she responded over the phone. Without thinking, she stood up and went toward him. Part of her attention on him noticed that he seemed worried about something. "Yeah. It's fine. Hope's back." For a few seconds, she turned silent as she listened to the other line. Then, Lightning sighed as she closed her eyes. She turned toward Hope and held out the phone to him. "Someone wants to talk to you."

Hope was surprised, wondering who was on the phone. He pressed it against his ear. "Hello?" For a few minutes he listened. Suddenly, a nervous smile came on his face. "I know." He closed his eyes. "Don't worry. I'm still looking over her and I won't do anything to hurt her again… I understand. Yes. See ya." Afterwards, he hung up his phone as he looked down at it. "Well that was nice of her."

Lightning placed her hand on her hip. "Did Fang threaten you or something?"

"A little, but I meant that it was nice that she was looking out for you that's all. How are things down there?"

"Everyone's doing okay. No sign of anyone threatening or following them."

"That's good. Maybe that means whoever is after you will just stay where you are." After hearing himself say that, his eyes drifted off to the side. Lightning noticed the same worried reaction that he had on when he walked in. "What's wrong?"

Hope thought about telling her what happened earlier, but he didn't want to worry her especially if he wasn't sure. "Nothing." He walked passed her and placed food on his bed.

Lightning stepped in front of him. "What? Tell me."

He gave an uneasy smile and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Seriously! Nothing for you to worry about."

Lightning reached down and took his hands. "Hope. Remember what you said. You told me that you wouldn't lie to me again."

Hope lifted his eyes up to her seeing the serious but concerned look. He sighed as he closed his eyes. She sat beside him on the bed and he told her about what happened in the hall with Nabaat. Afterwards, Lightning stood up as she placed her fingers to her chin. Her eyes traveled along the ground. "I knew that she was up to no good. You sure that she doesn't know anything?"

"No."

"Well I'll just have to find out for myself what she's up to." Lightning grabbed her gunblade and headed toward the door.

Hope looked surprised, but then stood up and grabbed her wrist. "What are you doing? You can't go out there."

"And why not?"

Hope sat down on the edge of the bed pulling her closer to him. "Because it could be a trap. Even if you go out there and confront her, who is to say that she won't have soldiers already on her side that will attack you at her command. There's no telling who's on her side. I don't want you going out there on your own. Let me at least find out more about this before you go."

Lightning's eyes drifted toward the side. She was tired of this waiting around. She wanted to do something. When she looked at Hope, she could see how worried he was about her. Finally, after going over the points he gave her in her head, she sighed with her eyes closed. She didn't know how much longer she could wait around for this to end. "Just hurry and find as much as you can. I can't just sit here with all this waiting."

A relief smile came across his face. "Thank you. With this lead, I'll look more into it."

Lightning looked toward the side. "I knew she always had something against me, but not enough to kill me."

"I won't let anyone hurt you." Hope assured her. Her eyes returned back to him. Along the sides of her waist, he rubbed his hands against her shirt. "For now, just relax. Eat something. No one knows we're here so you're safe and we have more time to plan."

"I guess." She followed the pull of his hands toward him. She placed her hands onto his shoulders as she sat on his lap. More, she started to feel at ease. Seeing that, his smile grew. "I was wondering if something was wrong. The meeting you went to was over an hour ago."

"I had to make sure that no one was following me." Hope smiled as he began to wonder. "You were actually worried about me?"

"Why?"

He smiled more, hopeful. "I guess I should ask if you missed me."

Lightning's eyes turned off to the side away from his. "You weren't gone that long."

"That's not answering my question." He hoped to get a more straight reply out of her.

"Maybe." It was the only answer she left him with. Hope sighed as he closed her eyes. For now, he would give up on getting her to answer that. Lightning watched his expression. It was then she found her own way of answering him. "I did have an idea from earlier. That might answer your question."

An interested look appeared on his face. "What's that?"

With her fingers, she pulled onto his tie and moved in to kiss his lips. As the kiss grew stronger between them, she leaned forward as he leaned back. His back became pressed against the mattress as she lied on top of him. His hands caressed alongside her back. Both of their worries seemed to fade away at that moment.

* * *

A small smile came on Nabaat's face as she stared at Alyssa sitting across from her. They were sitting outside of a small café at a table. Apart of their lunch, there had been some times that Alyssa turned quiet or talked about things not completely relevant to what she was after, but Nabaat continued to wait patiently. Maybe this was the time to get what she was after. She took a sip of her tea and gently placed the glass on the table. "So? How is it working under the Academy especially with someone like the Director?"

Alyssa's eyes traveled toward the side. She wasn't ready to even mention him yet. "It's…all right."

Nabaat arched her eyebrow. "You seem like you don't want to talk about your work or is it the Director you don't want to speak of?" Alyssa lowered her eyes as she stared toward the plate on the table. "I see. Has the Director done something to you?"

Alyssa shook her head. "No. It's…nothing."

"Really? Every time I bring up anything about him, you get this sad look on your face. What has he done? Maybe I can help."

Alyssa's eyes drifted off to the side. Nothing could change what already happened to her. "There's nothing that you can do about it. It's already done."

"Nothing is impossible." Nabaat tried to assure her.

Alyssa frowned a little. She wanted to argue against it. "This is."

Nabaat leaned her chin against the back of her hand as she gave a gentle smile. "Try me."

Alyssa was unsure, but then she sighed. She closed her eyes. What more would she have to lose than she already had? "This whole conference has been a complete disaster. The Director goes missing for all those months."

"Right. I heard about that. Did he say why?"

Alyssa looked down nervously. "I don't know if I should say. It could ruin his reputation."

Nabaat shrugged. "So what? I won't tell anyone."

"You can't." Alyssa was a little afraid that she would.

The smile on Nabaat's lips increased. Now she was sure she was getting somewhere. "Soldier's honor."

Alyssa looked over toward the side. She wasn't sure, but she continued. "None of the other scientists know and I'm not really sure of where he's been myself, but he's been with someone else."

Nabaat arched her eyebrow, pretending to be surprised. "Someone else? Who?"

A sad look came across Alyssa's face. "She's a soldier just like you. She was at a few meetings that you were at."

Nabaat had her suspicions, but had to be sure about them. "What did she look like?"

Alyssa could still remember her clearly from the few times she seen her. "She has pink hair and blue eyes."

"I see. The one that the Director saved from getting shot."

Alyssa looked surprised that she knew. "Yes!"

Nabaat was a little surprised. She didn't think that Hope knew Lightning for that long. "So? He's been with her all of these months?"

Alyssa looked down, sad. "That's what he told me."

"So? Why does this matter to you? You seem very upset. Was he an interest of yours?"

Alyssa leaned back in her chair. "He…He was my boyfriend until he ended things…because of her."

Nabaat became even more surprised. She couldn't believe it. "Really? Now how could he do something like that? You look like a smart woman."

Alyssa crossed her arms as she pouted. "He told me he had to end things. That he was in love with her."

While a smile came on Nabaat lips, a devious smirk was dwelling on the inside. Finally, she was getting somewhere. "So? The Director is in love with the Lieutenant. That must have really hurt. I'm sorry that you had to go through that. The nerve of him."

"I don't even see the point. He told me that he didn't have a chance with her, but yet he still chased after her. He even brought her stuff like clothes and she would show up everywhere even his room."

More, her anticipation grew. Nabaat had more than enough clues to think that Hope knew exactly where Lightning was. "So? Have you seen her around?"

Alyssa shook her head. "No. I haven't seen her since she showed up at the hospital that the Director was in."

"Right…because he saved her. Regardless, it's better that you move on anyway. You can do much better."

Alyssa placed her head on her hands. "I really did care about him..."

"I know but don't worry. I'm sure that things will work out." The smile on her face increased more. It proved worthy talking to the girl more than she knew. Now because of his known feelings for the pink haired soldier, she knew there was a strong possibility that the Director was protecting her. She held up her cup as a toast. "They'll both get exactly what they deserve."

* * *

Along his firm chest, her hand rubbed against his skin. Lightning looked down at the silver haired man below her, her eyes connecting with his. As she sat on top of him, she rocked her hips back and forth against him. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. Her body continued to move against him. She moved from his lips to his neck before she sat back up as she kept going. His breath shortened as he closed his eyes. The pleasurable feeling began to get more intense, making his body shake. He took a sharp breath in. "Light…" There was a slight smirk to her lips after she heard him. Faster and harder, she continued to ride him. Groans began to escape from deep within his throat. His hand grabbed onto her leg and tightened as his back arched a little.

Her breath became erratic as her eyes drifted to a close. More, the sensation deep inside her began to intense. A few moans escaped from her lips until she felt her release. Suddenly, Hope let out a deep breath that he had been holding in once he felt his end as well. Afterwards, she started breathing hard as she slowly came to a stop.

As he lied breathing heavily, she moved beside him, crawling in under the covers. Like him, she gave her body time to rest. Lightning glanced over at him to see him staring upwards. She became interested in what he was thinking. "Having a good time over there?"

A smile came on his face as he continued regaining his breathing. "I think that I should let you be on top more often."

As she closed her eyes, a smirk came on her face hearing his comment. She adjusted her pillow behind her as she relaxed.

They spent the rest of the day being together, but a few times the same thought crossed Lightning's mind. With the conference almost over, she wondered if they would ever figure out in time who was after her and when she could return home.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! Time for the countdown to begin. To give an exact number, only five more chapters to go! What will happen in the last five? All I can say for now is more action! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update soon!  
_


	23. A Race Against Time

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you to everyone for keeping up with the story, adding this to your favorites and alerts, and sending in reviews! I really appreciate all the feedback that I have been given and know that it will help in the long run. _

_So with this chapter it gets a little dark it seems to me, but I hope that you will enjoy reading it! Things do get serious._

* * *

_Chapter 23: A Race Against Time:_

With the last few days of the conference gone, Lightning stood in her hotel room with her arms crossed. At this point, her patience was running very thin. Instead of going home like everyone else, she was still stuck in the same room she had been in for a little over a week. There had to be something that she could do to get out. Soon, she heard the door open and saw Hope step through. She just hoped that he had some kind of news. "Hope?" By the disappointed look on his face, it seemed like there was little hope that he had good news. Still, she had to know if there was something. "Did you find out anything?"

Hope continued to frown. "I'm sorry. I've been looking more into the Colonel's background and looking at everything I can, but I couldn't really find out anything that would help us."

Lightning sighed as her eyes drifted off to the side. At this point, she was ready to just take her chances and leave. Maybe that would draw out whoever was trying to hurt her. "The conference is over. All of the soldiers and scientists are returning back to their jobs and posts. I can't stay here."

Hope understood her frustration. "I know."

"This would mean that you would have to continue to stay here for me and I can't keep doing that to you."

"I guess if worse comes to worse, you could just stay with me at my place."

Lightning turned her eyes over to him. By her expression, it seemed that maybe she could go for the idea, but he knew that she didn't want to stay away from home that long. Lightning turned away and looked toward the window. "If it has to come to that, I guess it's better than them following me home." Afterwards, she sat down on the edge of the bed.

Hope wished that there was more he could do. With everyone leaving, their trail might go cold. Suddenly, he heard his phone ring. Surprised, he looked at the number that was on his screen, but didn't recognize it. "Hmm…" He accepted the call and pressed the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"_Director Estheim. I was hoping that you would pick up."_ Over the phone, Hope could hear a guy that sounded happy that he picked up.

Hope became confused since he didn't recognize the voice. "Yes? Who is this?"

"_I have to say Director my boss is very upset that you didn't show the plans to a certain weapon of yours. You know. The very explosive devices capable of destroying an entire city. That is what you told the soldiers that day right? We thought that you would have no choice but to show them. After all, it was a request by the military."_ Hope looked surprised. What more did the man over the line know and how did he find out about his plans? Lightning leaned forward, noticing the expression on his face change very quickly. _"Anyway, we were hoping that you would reveal the plans and we could easily take them away from you, but you just made things much harder. Now you have two things that my boss wants. The plans and the girl."_

Hope's eyes widened. He could understand them wanting his plans, but why did they want Lightning? "I don't care what your boss wants. They aren't getting their hands on the Academy's plans or her."

"_Just as expected Director. You weren't going to back down that easily. If you just hand in what we want, everything will be fine. No one else will have to get hurt."_

Hope looked upset. He refused to give into the mysterious man's demands. "My answer is still no."

The male voice over the phone sighed. _"I tried being the voice of reason, but you give me no choice. Then again, without anything to hold against you, how else would we get what we want? Here's a little incentive. You might want to thank yourself for giving us this one."_ As Hope listened, his eyes widened as his expression changed to worry. At that moment, his body froze. Anxiously, Lightning stood up and went in front of him. She could read the expression on his face clearly, but couldn't figure out why. The voice over the phone laughed a little. "_So Director? Changing your mind now?"_

Hope took a sharp breath in. He couldn't believe it. His hands were become tied with no way out. _"While you're thinking about it, I have something else you can do for me. Put her on the phone."_ With fear in his eyes, he turned his head to Lightning. A confuse look came across Lightning's face. _"I know she's there. You've been protecting her this whole time haven't you ever since the first attempt? If you don't do what I say now, then what we will do next, she'll never forgive you for." _

Slowly, Hope removed the phone from his ear and handed it to Lightning. The two gave quiet stares to each other. His filled with concern and hers filled with confusion. Uneasy, she took the phone and placed it to her ear. She remained silent as she waited to hear the other voice on the line. _"Lieutenant Lightning Farron. For the sake of our possible agreement with the Director, I'm going to assume that I'm talking to you now. The cold Lieutenant won't be so cold now when she hears what I have for her. We need you to come with us."_

Lightning crossed her arms somewhat. "Are you the ones that have been trying to kill me?"

"_In a way yes."_ The man over the phone sighed frustrated. _"If it wasn't for the Director, I wouldn't be having this problem of tracking you down. Before you turn yourself into us, we need you to convince the Director to give us the plans we want." _

"You guys must be idiots. There's no way that Hope would give those plans to you. As for me, if you want, I'll be happy to come and deal with you myself."

The man laughed over the phone. _"I didn't expect any less out of you. Only this time, you have to play by my rules Lieutenant. That is if you don't want anything to happen to her."_

Lightning's eyes opened a little more once she heard the word "her". "What?"

"_I take it the Director didn't tell you. Hmm… I guess it's better that you hear it from me anyway. You got connections to him right? Tell him to give us the plans or plan to never see her again. Oh wait! I think that she wants to talk to you."_

Soon, Lightning heard another voice over the phone. This time, it was a female's. _"Lightning?"_ Lightning's eyes widened as she began to get worried. _"Big sister! Help me!"_

Lightning grabbed harder onto the phone in her hand. "Serah?!"

Hope only grew more worried once he heard her call Serah's name out. He wished that it didn't have to come to this. _"Lightning! Please help me! I'm scared!"_

"Serah. Don't worry. I'm coming to get you out of there okay? Be strong."

Soon, she heard the same male voice laughing. "_So like I said, get the Director to turn in the plans along with yourself."_

Lightning looked furious. "Let go of her right now! If you touch even one hair on her head, I'll-!"

"_I get it. You do what I say and I promise that she'll be safe. You on the other hand, not so much. Now that you know what's on the line, you're going to do something for me." _ Lightning felt her fist tightened on her side. With no idea where Serah was, what more could she do at this point? She hated feeling like this. _"Turn to the Director and look into those pretty eyes of his."_

Lightning was about to turn to Hope, but then her eyes diverted toward the ground. She wasn't going to force any of this. "This won't work. I can't convince him to give you-."

"_Of course you can." _the man's voice sounded persuasive and encouraging toward her. _"At first, we didn't really have any other way to convince the Director to give us those plans without killing him, but then you come in. That's what makes this perfect. We don't have to kill him now, causing some big stir up. The fact that we know his love for you will make him do anything for you. After all, who almost dies just for some woman? This is all very simple. You would do anything for your little sister here and he would do anything for you so it's a win situation for us. Now look at him." _She turned her body toward him as her eyes met his._ "Here's what I want you to say."_

For a few seconds, Lightning stared at Hope in silence as she listened to the man on the line. _"Now. Say it exactly like that." _Everything inside of her wanted to rebel against him, but she had to remember who she was doing it for especially when the voice seemed in reach of harming her sister. She tried to make the words come out, but she couldn't. _"What are you waiting for?! Say it!" _

Hope stepped over and reached for the phone. "Give it to me. I can't let this go on."

"_I see. We'll have to show you how serious we are."_

Over the phone, Lightning heard a gunshot and a scream from her sister which made her heart race in fear. "Serah?!"

"_Lightning!"_ Serah called out worried.

"_That was just a warning. I didn't hurt her. If you do not do as I say now, then expect for us to deliver piece by piece of your sister removed to your home."_

Lightning closed her eyes. "Fine."

After a few seconds, she listened. Then, she placed the phone on speaker. _"Now tell him!"_

Her eyes lifted to Hope. She didn't want to do this to him, but she had no other choice at that moment. "Hope... If you care about me at all, then you will do as they say and give them the plans."

Hope looked worried. "But… I can't."

"_You can do it. Convince him otherwise."_ the man pushed her along.

More concern came into Lightning's eyes. "Hope. I need you to do this for me. They're going to kill Serah if we don't do what they say."

"We are talking about the deaths of possibly more than one person if we do this."

"_Don't worry Director. We don't plan to kill anyone unless they resist. Are you meaning to tell me that you won't do this for the one you supposedly care about to save the life of her sister?"_

They stood in silence, his eyes staring into her eyes. Finally, he turned his head as he closed his eyes. He sat down on the bed and turned on his computer. "Fine. I'll give you the plans."

"_A wise choice Director. We will give you instructions on where to meet us."_

"Wait! What do you plan to do with my sister?" As Lightning was talking, Hope was typing on his computer.

"_We'll take good care of her. No harm or hand will come on her unless you do something wrong."_

Angry began to fill her. "I will make you regret doing this." she threatened him coldly.

"_I believe that you'll regret it if you don't listen to us."_ Afterwards, the person hung up the phone. All she could hear was the dial tone.

Lightning closed her eyes in frustration and threw the phone against the bed. All she wanted to do was find some way to take out her anger and fear. When she glanced over at Hope, she noticed that he wasn't looking over at her, but kept typing on his computer. "Is that all you're going to do?! Just sit there?!"

He looked over at her, but didn't respond. Lightning walked away turning her back. She grabbed some of her clothes and changed. Afterwards, she grabbed her gunblade and headed toward the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that she was leaving. Quickly, he went over to her and blocked the door. More, he saw the anger growing on her face. "Move."

"Listen. I know that you're upset right now, but going out there is not the best idea."

"Best idea? You almost didn't agree to give them the plans to help Serah! How could you do that knowing that she was there?!" She reached for the knob, but Hope moved his hands to stop her. His hands were about to touch her shoulders, but she stepped back and held out her gunblade toward him. He was stunned and worried that she pulled that out on him. "I told you to move out of my way!"

Hope held his hands up showing that he wasn't going to do anything. "Light. You need to relax. Going out there is not the best idea right now."

"So I'm just supposed to sit here longer waiting for them to do who knows what to my sister?!"

"They said they wouldn't hurt her so we just have to believe that."

"Then what's your reason this time for keeping me back?!"

Gently, Hope placed her gunblade down at her side. "Just listen to me for a second. The fact that they know that you're with me could mean they know where we are and they could be waiting any second to take you or these plans to avoid this meeting. They've been trying to kill you."

"They won't! They need me to get to you and their using Serah to get to me!"

"Even if that's true, they could switch plans on us. They could still kill you and once they did that, they wouldn't need Serah anymore and they could get the plans from me some other way like killing me too. I just ask this of you." He took the gunblade out of her hand which she let it go onto his bed. He caressed the side of her face along with her hair. "I know that I haven't come through as much as I needed to, but this time I really ask that you be patient and wait for me please?" He pressed his forehead against hers.

Lightning stepped away. "I've been waiting for you to do something about this since the first attempt on my life and now this has gotten out of hand! There's one more life at stake!"

Hope's eyes traveled down. "I know. I'm sorry."

Lightning lifted her head. More, she felt the need to go. She walked forward, but Hope stood blocking her from the door. Upset, she began to push him, but still he refused to move. A few times she pushed back, each time even harder than the last. No matter if it hurt or not, he wasn't going to let her go and possibly get hurt. Finally, her head leaned against his chest. Her face became buried in his jacket. Heavily, she breathed out as she closed her eyes. His hands wrapped around her body tightly embracing her. Her hands reached under his arms onto his back and grabbed onto his jacket firmly. Underneath him, he could hear her breathing loudly and irregularly. He was unsure as to whether she holding back her emotions or letting them out, but either way, he was going to be standing there for as long as she needed him to.

Minutes later, Lightning stepped away from him without showing her his face. She turned her back to him. Hope walked away and headed back toward his computer. He began working again while he gave Lightning her time alone. Curiously, Lightning looked over and then went to Hope. She sat down beside him on the bed. "What are you doing?"

"While you were talking to that guy and keeping him on the line, I was using my computer to track where that call was coming from."

Lightning looked a little surprised. "You were tracking them? Why didn't you tell me?"

Hope looked over at her. "I was hoping to have good news to tell you. At least as good as it gets. I wasn't sure about giving the plans to that man. Not until I thought of another plan, but I knew it would have to come to this. We'll find a way to save your sister and not give them those plans. If they were to get their hands on them, then your sister could be in just as much danger again."

"Have you found them yet?"

"No. The computer is still tracking. It's a very weak signal. In the meantime, I will work on the plans and we can come up with a way to figure out what to do once we get there tomorrow. Just be careful. If they get you there, then it might be just to get rid of you. Don't let that happen."

Lightning nodded. "Right."

Hope's eyes drifted down disappointed. "I know that I can't do a lot to ease what you're going through but-."

Lightning placed her hand on top of his that was on his computer. When he looked over, the two became close face to face. "You've done all you could and you still are." Her forehead leaned against his. "Thank you." The two leaned in and placed soft kisses against each other's lips. Afterwards, her head leaned against his shoulder. He began typing on his computer again. A few times, he glanced over to see that her face was still buried in his shoulder. He was worried about how she was feeling. Still, he worked as fast as he could so that the sooner they could find Serah the better.

Then, Lightning lifted her head and searched around on the bed. In the blankets, she found the phone that she threw away earlier. She began dialing a few numbers. "What are you doing?"

"There's one way to find out if they really have Serah and to also figure out any other clues as to who these guys are." Soon, she pressed the phone up to her ear. "Yeah. It's me."

On the other end of the phone, Fang pressed her hand against her hip as she closed her eyes. She really didn't want to tell Lightning any bad news. _"Oh! I've been…meaning to talk to you..."_

By the tone in Fang's voice, Lightning could tell that her fears were coming to light. "I need to ask you something. Is Serah with you?"

Fang scratched the back of her head. _"Not…at the moment."_

Lightning's eyes lowered. "So I guess that it is true. She was taken."

Fang was surprised that she knew that already. _"How did you know that?" _

"Whoever has her called us to tell us that they did. What happened?"

Fang sighed. _"I don't know. It all happened so fast. One minute, the girls and me were here in the house and the next, these guys came busting in. I couldn't see who they were, but they came and attacked and ended up taking her. Sorry. I tried to hold them back."_ Lightning closed her eyes. Fang became curious as to what was going on. _"Why did they take her?"_

"They're using her to force Hope to give them plans for a weapon and they wanted me for some reason. They were the ones trying to kill me."

"_You can't seriously be thinking of turning yourself in like that?"_ Fang replied with a little worry in her voice.

"No but I need to find out where they are and get Serah back."

"_Will Hope be there helping you?" _

Lightning looked over at him working. "Yeah."

"_Then just be careful." _

"Right." Afterwards, Lightning hung up the phone.

Hope looked over toward her. "I guess that Fang wasn't much help?"

"All she knows is that Serah was taken from her."

"Hmm…" Hope turned and continued to work. "I'm sorry…that this happened."

Lightning stared forward toward the window. "It's strange. I never thought that something like this would happen nor did I think that I would be used to get to someone else."

"Maybe they were watching us more than we thought. Someone had to know."

"This is all just a big coincidence that someone's taking advantage of."

Hope smiled a little. "Regardless of how this turned out, I can't say I regret it. I'm glad that I met you. I wouldn't change that for anything."

Hearing him say that made some of her sadness ease on the inside. Hope went back to concentrating, but then felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. Lightning leaned her head against him as she closed her eyes. "Despite what happened…I don't regret meeting you either." Months ago before they met, she didn't think she was one for falling in love or living in a cheesy happily after ever fairytale. Still, she didn't believe in those fairytale endings, but she did see what it was like to be happy in that way. Over time, her feelings just continued to grow for him into something more than just meeting some stranger that helped her younger sister with her science homework. They came a long way. For that, she would never regret it.

Later as night came around, Hope continued working. A few times, he glanced behind him. It took some long convincing, but he talked her into getting some sleep before their big challenge tomorrow. In her sleep, her face began to tense up. Her head began to twitch as she murmured. Finally, she woke up as she was breathing hard. Instantly, she sat up. "Serah!"

Hope turned toward her. "Light!"

Lightning was about to get up, but Hope grabbed onto her. "I got to go now!"

He pulled her toward him with his arms wrapped around her. A few times she tried to push him away, but eventually she calmed down and settled against him. She closed her eyes as she relaxed. Her fingers clutched onto his coat. "She died right in front of me. I couldn't stop it."

"It was just a dream. She's fine right now." he said as an attempt to calm her. His head leaned on hers.

"No. It's not all right. I should have been there to find her already."

His fingers brushed against her hair. "We'll get her back safe. I promise." Lightning sat up in front of him. He placed his hand against her cheek. "I see what I gave you to help you sleep only helped for a short time."

She breathed out and sat behind him. "I can't sleep not knowing how she is. Even if I do, the dreams are always there. We should go now while it's still dark and find the place ourselves."

"I'm not done yet with the plans they wanted."

"Hurry. The sooner we get through this, the better."

Hope nodded. "Right."

As the night continued to go on, Hope continued to work. When he lifted his eyes, he noticed that the sun was coming up. Time was running out. Suddenly, he heard a sound. His eyes turned over to his phone. There was a message. Hearing the sound also, Lightning rose up from the bed and looked over. Together, they saw the instructions that they were waiting for. Reading them carefully, Lightning then turned her eyes to Hope. "We should go soon."

"Right." he agreed with her.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! See what happens next time! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update soon!_

_Also, if anyone is interested, I have announced some new stories coming this summer. You can find more information about them either under my profile near the bottom of the page under "Upcoming Stories Section" or go to the World of FF13 forum and under the "fanfiction" section of that forum with the announcements near the bottom as well. The forum link is also near the bottom of my profile page with a little more information about the stories revealed. Thank you!_


	24. The Ultimatum

_**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone for keeping up with the story, adding this to your favorites and alerts, and for the reviews that were sent in! I hope that you will enjoy this chapter of the story!_

* * *

_Chapter 24: The Ultimatum:_

A few hours later, Hope and Lightning headed to the area where the message instructed them to go. Things were quiet around, but they found a warehouse that the address led them to. Still concerned about going through with it, Hope looked over to Lightning. "Are you sure about this?"

Lightning kept her eyes forward as she looked determined and upset. "Yes. I'm not letting them get away with this." She stepped forward and opened the door. Inside of her hand, she held her gunblade in its gun formation.

When they stepped inside, the place was empty and quiet with nothing but crates and boxes sitting around. Hope was surprised expecting to find people waiting there for them. "That's weird."

Quickly, her eyes darted toward him. "Shh!"

He turned quiet and continued to step forward along with her. Soon, Hope and Lightning turned their heads. A few soldiers stood up from behind the crates with guns pointed. Lighnting stood ready just in case they decided to attack. Shortly after, a man stepped out holding onto a girl's arm in his hand. Instantly, they both recognized her. Lightning breathed in, worried as her eyes opened up a little more. "Serah!"

"Lightning!" Serah was about to run over to her, but the soldier held onto her arm. An upset look came across Lightning's face. She was ready to rush in, but then heard a familiar voice in the distance. "Wow! You two actually came and early too."

Hope's and Lightning's eyes traveled over to the voice, seeing the figure approaching them. Lightning became angry once she recognized who it was. "You! I should have known."

Now Hope's suspicions had been confirmed from earlier. "Colonel Nabaat."

A smile came on her face. As she stepped over toward Hope, back and forth she hit the black stick into the palm of her hand. Lightning rushed toward her, flipping her gunblade to the other form of a sword. She slashed toward her, but Nabaat jumped back avoiding her strike. "Careful. Striking me down will only cause the soldiers to carry out their orders and hurt your little sister and we both don't want that."

Lightning glanced over to the soldier that had Serah and saw the gun at his side. Lightning relaxed a little showing Nabaat that she wasn't going to attack her again yet. Nabaat turned her attention back to Hope and walked over to him. "Director. It's nice of you to come. I tried to see you months ago after out last meeting, but the Academy said you up and disappeared. It took long enough, but I'm finally getting those plans from you."

Hope looked a little surprised. "So it was you that I saw in my office."

She stopped in front of him and held out her hand. "I couldn't let you recognize me right away of course. Now, hand over the plans."

Uneasy, Hope reached into his pocket and handed her a flash drive. He dropped it into her hand. She gave a brief smile toward him. She was about to walk away when she felt Hope grab her wrist. Interested in what he was doing, she turned back around. "Why are you doing this?"

She let out a smirk. "You see Director. With this, you may have destroyed your own Academy which will make the person I'm working for very happy. With the government toppled, there can be a new one established."

Hope's eyes narrowed toward her as he wanted to know more about what was going on. "And what do you gain out of this?"

"The upper hand in a new society. Sorry. It's nothing personal, just business. Besides, why should we trust the world to man who just runs off with some woman?"

Anger grew on his face. His hand tightened around her wrist. "You know why I left. To keep plans like this from people like you!" Nabaat found it amusing that he was standing up to her now. She removed her wrist from his hand and began walking off. Hope's eyes followed her. "What do you plan to do with those plans?"

Nabaat headed over to a computer and plugged the flash drive in. "Easy. Once the devices that you developed are built, we'll just use them to threaten people into believing that your government needs to step down. Then a new order can begin. Our partnership between the Academy and the military worked out well didn't it?"

Hope's eyes drifted off to the side, disappointed with himself. "I never should have authorized those plans."

"Out of an act of keeping the military to still follow you and rumors of rebellion, you were trying to keep the chaos under control. Poor Director."

"Nabaat! You got what you wanted. Now let Serah go." Lightning demanded.

Nabaat almost forget that she still had a hostage on her hands. She looked down toward Serah and then over to the soldier. "Let her go. Her purpose here is done."

The soldier listened and let her go. Serah ran over to Lightning. Lightning kneeled down and with open arms, hugged her sister tightly. Her eyes closed in relief that she was okay. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Serah answered, still a little shaken.

Lightning leaned back and looked into Serah's eyes. "Did any of them hurt you?"

Serah shook her head. "No."

Feeling her anger return back to her, Lightning stood up and headed toward Nabaat. Nabaat didn't need to look over to see that she was coming at her. "I wouldn't try it at the risk of someone getting shot."

Hope grabbed onto Serah's hand and then onto Lightning's. "She's right. Let's just go." He was about to pull them off, but then a smile formed on Nabaat's face. "And where do you think you're going? Director Estheim. You must truly think I'm an idiot." Once she said that, the soldiers got ready to attack and began closing in on the three. Nabaat turned from her computer. On the computer were just the models for gunblades. "These aren't the plans at all. You really want to risk their lives for one little trick."

Hope and Serah looked worried, but Lightning ran forward with her gunblade ready to attack. "Hope! Protect Serah!" She fought against the soldiers. Hope stepped in front of Serah as she looked afraid. He looked ahead, waiting to see if Lightning needed any help just in case.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Nabaat beside him with her sword ready. His eyes widened in surprised. He pushed Serah away. "Serah go!" He was about to reach into his coat, but she pressed her sword up to the skin of his neck. "Tell me where the real plans are or I'll kill you right here."

Hope was worried, but more than that, he was determined not to let her get them. "Do what you have to."

Nearby, Serah stood worried. "Hope!"

Nabaat was upset by his resistance. "Fine. We'll do this the hard way." With her foot, she hit the back of his knees, forcing him to kneel down on the ground.

More Serah began to worry about him. "Hope!"

Quickly, Hope's eyes turned to her. He had to protect her. "Serah! Stay back!"

Lightning continued fighting against the soldiers until she heard a voice. "Oh Lieutenant!" Lightning looked over to see Nabaat with her sword against Hope's neck. Her fingers were pulling onto his hair, making his head tilt up. "Stop what you're doing right now." Lightning pointed her gun toward Nabaat. Nabaat smiled at her. "Really? You would try something like that knowing that I could kill him before the bullet even reaches me?" Lightning remained still as she tried to think of some way to get him out of her grip. "Put the gun down now. And here I thought you at least cared about him somewhat. Are you really that heartless like the rest of us?"

Lightning sighed with her eyes closed as she lowered the gun to her side. "Let him go."

"Not yet. There's still some business that we need to settle. Drop your weapon." Lightning looked upset as she pressed her teeth together. Nabaat arched her eyebrow. "You're a resistant one aren't you? I'll have no choice but to let him bleed out and let him die slowly and painfully." Nabaat moved her sword a little. Once Lightning saw, she dropped her gunblade down at her side. Nabaat was surprised that she dropped it right away, but kept her smile on. "What? But I haven't even started cutting yet. Does that mean you're going to make sure that he doesn't die?"

Lightning frowned in silence. She didn't want either one of them to die today. "Now Director." Soon, soldiers ran in where Lightning was and grabbed onto her arms. They made her kneel down onto the ground as they held onto her arms. Guns became pointed toward her head. A worried look came across Hope's face. "Give me the real plans or you can say goodbye to the Lieutenant."

As Hope stared over, he saw Lightning with her head down and eyes closed. He knew that Nabaat wouldn't hesitate to kill her especially after trying throughout this whole conference. "Let me up." Nabaat listened, thinking that he wouldn't try anything risky. Hope reached inside of his coat and pulled out another flash drive. "Here. These are the real plans."

Nabaat took it from his hand. "You do know if you're lying this time, I won't hesitate to kill her." Nabaat stepped over to the computer and search through the flash drive. She glanced one more time at Hope. "Now are you sure these are the right plans?"

Hope gave a serious look to show that he wasn't lying. "Yes."

Nabaat waited for the files to appear and scanned through them. Soon, a pleased smile came on her face. "Yes. Now this is what we wanted. Now Director. If we need any more help with this, can we count on you to help us with the construction?"

Hope became angry as he pressed his teeth together. More she was trying to involve him than he wanted to be. "You got what you wanted! Now let her go!"

"You didn't give me an answer." Nabaat pushed him along.

He breathed out loud. "Fine. Now let her go."

The smirk increased on her face. "Haven't you forgotten the other part of the deal Director? You were supposed to bring me the plans and Lieutenant Farron." Hope looked surprised and worried. He forgot that part that was mentioned. "Now that I have everything, you can take the little girl and go." She turned toward her computer. "If you don't, then I have no choice but to kill all three of you."

Hope wasn't sure what he should do, but he knew he had to get Lightning out of there as well. Hope reached into his jacket, but then saw other soldiers pointing their guns. They stepped forward as he stepped back. He ended up beside Serah. Nabaat looked at him. "Now go."

"Not until you let Lightning go. You have the plans you want. What do you want with her?"

"Time is wasting. Leave or stay here. Your choice."

"No! Just-."

"Hope. Leave now." Hope turned his eyes over to Lightning who was still being held. "I'll be fine."

"Light-."

Lightning lifted her head. "Just take Serah and go. Protect her for me."

Hope shook his head. He wasn't going to just leave without her. "No!"

"Go! Now!" Lightning raised her voice.

Hope looked concerned. He couldn't leave. Nabaat crossed her arms starting to get impatient. "Well I see the Director has made his choice. Start with the girl first."

"Stop it. He's going all right. You have what you want." Lightning told her.

Running out of patience, Nabaat came up with another idea. She turned her attention back to the computer, thinking it was a better plan anyway that was in her mind. "Lock them up somewhere they can't escape. We'll figure out what to do with them later. We don't need anyone telling what happened here today."

The soldiers listened and pushed Hope along with Serah further into the warehouse. They placed them in a small room with a small window near the top. Behind them, the soldiers closed the door. When Hope tried to open it again, he realized that they were locked inside. His fist banged against the door a few times, but it was no use. He held his head down as he breathed out. Serah looked worried. "What's going to happen to my sister?"

Hope looked back at her concerned. He had no answer to give her. Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. When he looked at it, he saw that there was no signal. "Great. That's probably why they didn't take away my phone." He looked toward the walls of the room and saw there was a small window near the top. An idea formed in his mind. "Come on Serah. I at least know how you're going to get out of here." He stepped over and kneeled down in front of her. "Once you do, I need you to do something for me. I need you to go get help. I'm going back after Lightning."

Serah was worried about going out alone. "But-."

"I know that it's scary, but we're going to make it through all right." Hope let out a smile to comfort her.

Serah nodded. After giving her instructions on who to talk to, he began to help her escape.

* * *

_Thank you for reading this chapter! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_


	25. Reveal

_**Author's Notes:** Thank you to everyone for keeping up with the story, adding this to your favorites and alerts, and sending in reviews! I've enjoyed reading all the reviews that were sent in! I hope that you will like this chapter of the story!_

* * *

_Chapter 25: Reveal: _

At the front of the warehouse, the soldiers were still holding onto Lightning as Nabaat stepped in front of her. A smile came on her face. "Well Lieutenant Farron. Finally we get to be alone."

The soldiers released their hold on her, allowing Lightning to stand up. They stepped back from her, giving Nabaat and her some space, but close enough to keep their guns pointed toward Lightning. When Lightning's eyes looked over, she saw her gunblade on the ground. There was a little distance between her and the weapon, but with enough speed she could grab it in time. Her eyes returned back to Nabaat. All she wanted to do was take that smirk off of her face. "What do you want? What did I ever do to you to make you want to kill me?"

Nabaat let out a calm smile. She walked over and grabbed Lightning's gunblade from off of the ground. In her hands, she observed the weapon for herself. "Oh my! What's this? I've never seen a model like this before. It reminds me of…oh right… One of the models that the Director showed us the first day at the first meeting." Nabaat took a few more seconds to stare at it before tossing it off to the side, more out of Lightning's reach. "You really have done well for yourself haven't you? You have one of the most powerful men in the palm of your hand. You could get him to do whatever you want and what did it cost you? Getting him to believe that you care for him? Something more personal and physical?"

Lightning refused to give her the satisfaction by answering with anything. "Get to the point."

Nabaat closed her eyes as she took her glasses off. Finally she could let out her frustrations and what she really thought about Lightning. "Frankly…I'm sick of you. As if you had to work to get where you are today. It took me years to get to the position and rank I am today where as it took you no time at all. You're nothing but a daddy's girl that got lucky. The people on the council kissed up to your father. They loved him and when he died, they didn't take a second thought about putting you on. Face it. You just got there by name alone."

Lightning looked upset and offended. "That's not true. It took me years just to get on the council like you."

"Yeah. By a few years, but soon as your daddy died, it was only a matter of time. Spoiled little brat. It still continues doesn't it? Once daddy was gone, you moved right on to the next powerful man. Even if you were to leave the council you would be well taken care of wouldn't you? You would probably even have a say over the government if you want. That's how wrapped around your finger you got him."

"Just get over it. This jealously sounds pathetic even for you. I can't help how things turned out, but I'm not going to apologize for it."

Nabaat became more upset by her comment. She pulled out her sword from her side and pointed it toward Lightning. She stepped forward as Lightning stepped back.

"Colonel Nabaat." Nabaat lifted her eyes and saw Raines and Rosch standing on the upper level of the warehouse floor. Raines was a little surprised to see Lightning there and that Nabaat was about to attack her. "What are you doing?"

"Handling a little pest problem. I have the plans. I just need to deal with this first. She's the last soldier that I need to get rid of."

"There's still the general." Lightning pointed out.

A smirk formed on Nabaat's lips. "Not anymore. It took some time, but we managed to kill him while he was still in the hospital. With everyone out of the way, we'll be the only ones on the council making decisions. That will work so well in our favor getting the new government into power.

Lightning looked up surprised to see Raines and Rosch there, but more that they were a part of this. While Nabaat was distracted turning her attention to them and speaking, Lightning took off running for her gunblade. For a second, Nabaat looked surprised, but quickly ran after her. Lightning grabbed her weapon. When she turned around, Nabaat swung her sword. The tip sliced open a part of her sleeve and left a cut on her arm. Lightning placed her hand to her arm. When she looked down at her hand, she saw blood. Nabaat ran in to attack again, but Lightning fought back against her. "Kill her!" Nabaat ordered.

The soldiers pointed and shot their guns toward Lightning. Lightning reacted quickly and ducked for cover from them and Nabaat behind some crates. It was hard to deal with them and her at the same time. She switched over to her gun and began shooting toward the soldiers and Nabaat. Nabaat avoided her shots and moved in for the kill. "Now you'll die!"

Lightning clutched her teeth. She tried to turn her gun to Nabaat. Suddenly, she saw something rapidly knock Nabaat's sword out of her hand and flipped it through the air. The sword landed on the ground, surprising Nabaat, Raines, and Rosch. The object flew back again and knocked Nabaat down. An electric shock went through her and made her fall onto the ground.

Lightning was surprised by what happened. When she looked up in the air, she saw a boomerang. She had no idea who was helping her, but she was just glad that it was friend and not someone else attacking her. "Follow where it's going!" one of the soldiers shouted. Hearing that, Lightning decided to shoot back. At least with her fire distracting them, it wouldn't reveal the location of whoever was helping her.

Her plan worked. The soldiers began to fire back. The same boomerang flew back and attacked the soldiers. Each soldier that attacked, it managed to knock them down and out. It soon headed over toward Raines and Rosch who ducked. After things calmed down, the mysterious attacker ran out of his spot and caught his boomerang.

When Lightning looked over, she reacted with surprise as she recognized the figure. He jumped over and made it behind the crates where she was. His attention turned over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Hope? I thought that-."

Hope smiled a little. "I got out of where they were holding us."

A concerned but serious look came across her face. "But where's Serah?"

"Don't worry. She's fine. Actually, she reminds me a lot of you. She was the one who was able to get out first and then she came back and got me out as well. Right now, she's getting other people to come help us." It was a relief that Serah was safe even if Lightning felt uneasy about her being out on her own. Hope looked down and noticed blood on her arm. "What happened?"

Lightning followed the direction of his eyes and saw what he was staring at. "It's nothing. Just a little scratch." When she looked through a crack between two crates, she saw more soldiers heading toward them. She got her gunblade ready. "They're coming."

Quickly, Hope reached into one of his pockets that was on his belt and grabbed her hand. He took some bandages and wrapped them around the wound on her arm. She didn't think that they had time for that, but let him finish since he was moving fast. "Thanks."

Hope nodded. "I got your back."

Lightning shook her head. "No. You attack first. That way with them distracted, I can go in and finish this."

"All right." he agreed. "One more thing." With his hand, he grabbed onto the back of her neck and pulled her in toward him. His lips met with hers in a strong, passionate kiss.

"Hope?!" she murmured against his lips. Her hands pressed against his jacket. She wanted to push him away, but found herself giving in just for those few seconds.

After he parted from her, a smile came on his face. "I just wanted to do that."

A slight smile came on her face. "We are getting out of this together you know."

"I know." Soon, he stood up and threw his boomerang. The soldiers began firing back. Like planned, it distracted the soldier somewhat. Lightning stood up and fired back, hitting them all.

During the battle, Nabaat groaned as she began to wake up. She saw what was going on. At this point, she couldn't complete the part of the plan she wanted to as far as with Lightning. What was more important than that was to get those plans and get out. She got up and ran toward her computer. She looked up toward Raines and Rosch. "We got what we came for. Let's go."

After they were finished, Hope and Lightning looked over and noticed her by the computer. "Let's go." Lightning was about to take off, but Hope held out his arm in front of her. She looked back at him. "What are you doing? They're going to get away with what you worked on."

Hope looked down at his watch. Afterwards, he placed his arm down. "No they won't. I wasn't sure, but this actually worked out perfectly."

As Nabaat was typing on the computer getting the plans, suddenly her screen began to flash with red. Her eyes widened, surprised. "What's happening?" The screen continued to flash with red until an error box popped up. "I can't access it anymore."

"That's because as soon as I came back here, I set off a timer." Nabaat looked back at Hope, worried. "I sent a signal to your computer to access a file that I placed on the drive. The file was made to corrupt all of the files that had the plans. Seeing as you didn't kill me right away, it became easy to just corrupt it. The only question was when."

"But how?" Nabaat asked.

"It was easy to get access to your computer with my own that I brought with me." Hope explained. Lightning had to admit that she was impressed. Even with just improvising, everything worked out.

Angry, Nabaat was running out of options. With her and her plans exposed, there wasn't anything else they could stop him with. "No!"

Lightning took aim and shot her computer, destroying it. "It's over."

Nabaat growled. She wanted nothing more than to attack them, but instead, she retreated along with Raines and Rosch. Lightning started running as well which Hope looked surprised. "Where are you going?"

She looked back. "I'm going after them. I'm not letting her get away with what she did." She ran further into the warehouse. Hope was about to run after her, but then heard a loud banging on the front door. He started to get concerned. Were there more soldiers out there to carry out Nabaat's orders? Then, the doors busted open. There were more soldiers there. Hope looked surprised. In front of them all was Serah. Serah ran over to him. "Hope! I did as you said and they came!"

Hope looked over at the soldiers. "They're…"

"They're a part of the Guardian Corp. They were getting ready to leave the city, but I stopped them just in time. When I told them what was going on, they came to help out."

Alyssa was walking nearby when she spotted Hope talking to Serah. She was curious as to what was going on herself. Serah looked around. "Where's my sister?"

Hope looked uneasy. "She's fine."

There was concern in Serah's eyes. "Why isn't she here with you?"

Then, a few soldiers ran over to him. "Director Estheim."

A serious look came on his face. He pointed forward inside of the factory. "The soldiers that you're looking for, there are three of them: Raines, Rosch, and Nabaat. Find them. Lieutenant Farron might need help."

Standing nearby, Alyssa overheard what he said and became surprised once she heard the Colonel's name. Hope grabbed Serah's hand. "Come on. I'll go out to find your sister, but for now, I need you to stand out here. You'll be safe."

"Why was that woman after my sister?"

Hope's eyes drifted to the side, thinking. "I'm not sure. I'm not even sure how she found us."

A look of worry came across Alyssa's expression as she remembered the conversation that she had with Nabaat. Did anything she told her have something to do with what happened to Hope and Lightning today? She looked down toward the ground. Hope looked over and noticed her alone nearby. He stepped near her with Serah. While things were still shaky between them, they still had to work together. "Alyssa? Can you watch after her?"

Alyssa crossed her arms. "Why? So you can go after your girlfriend?"

"Yes. Listen. I'm just asking because you're still my assistant. Despite whatever grudge that you may hold against me, don't let it affect what you do for me."

"Babysitting is not a part of my job." she muttered.

"Just watch after her." Hope replied impatiently.

Alyssa looked down upset. She didn't give a yes or no. Hope was about to take off running, but then he heard Alyssa's voice. "Did that woman really not tell you why she was after her?"

Confusion became written across his face. "No… Why would you ask me that much less care?"

Alyssa turned her eyes away from him. "No reason."

Getting more curious and searching for any answers, he stepped toward her. He thought about the phone call that he got yesterday and how the man over the phone knew a lot more about his relationship with Lightning than anyone."This whole time you were the only one who knew about Lightning. Do you know something about this?"

Alyssa shook her head. Her eyes wouldn't meet his. "Of course not!"

He gave a suspicious look. "Did you know the Colonel before this?"

"No. I didn't know her. I don't know anything about what's going. That's why I'm asking you."

Hope's eyes traveled down. "Somehow she knew about my connection with Lightning and she was able to find us even as I hid Lightning away. She knew how I felt about her and used it against me. I knew that she was suspicious, but she stopped questioning it." More Alyssa began to seem uneasy which Hope noticed. "Despite that, you were the only one who truly knew about that. So I'll ask you again. Do you know anything about what's going on?" Alyssa didn't respond as she kept her eyes away. Upset, he grabbed onto her arm. "Answer me! Did you have anything to do with what happened?! Did you know the Colonel?!"

Alyssa snatched her arm away and stepped away from him with her eyes closed. "Just stop it!"

"Did you tell her about Lightning?!" The argument was getting overwhelming for her along with her guilt and the pain she still felt because of him. Hope continued to push her. "Tell me! Did you?!"

"I didn't mean to!" Hope reacted with surprise once he heard her honest answer. Finally, they were getting somewhere. Alyssa looked down as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I was so angry at you and she was there. She told me it was okay to just let it out and she was so understanding so I told her."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her that you left because you said that you were in love with her. That was it. I didn't know she was after her."

Hope looked to the side. He wasn't angry at what Alyssa did, but from there he could figure out how Nabaat found out where Lightning was. "She started asking questions about Lightning, but I kept avoiding them as much as I could. Then, she went to you because you told her about what happened and that only gave her more proof that somehow I was involved. With them tracking me in some way, they could have easily found Lightning. I see... They just needed to be sure."

Afterwards, he began walking away. Alyssa lifted her eyes to him. "Hope? Tell me why she was after her?"

Hope stopped without looking back at her. "The Colonel wanted to kill Lightning." Afterwards, he headed inside.

Alyssa didn't realize how serious things were. She knew that she was mad at the two of them, but she didn't want them to both die over it.

* * *

_That's it for this chapter! Thank you for reading! As always let me know what you think!_

_On a side note, I have to announce that there will not be an update to this story for a few weeks due to some things that have come up. I apologize in advance because I know that this story only has two chapters left. I'm really sorry! _

_So if you are following just this story or this story along with my other story currently going, neither one will be updated for a few weeks after this week. Again, I am sorry._


	26. Time To Fight

_**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thank you for waiting for the next update. Now to continue on with the rest of the story. Thank you for sending in reviews, and adding this to your favorites and alerts. I hope that you will like the this chapter of the story! _

* * *

_Chapter 26: Time To Fight:_

Inside of the factory, Hope searched around for Lightning and where she could have possibly gone. "Lightning?!" When he looked over, he saw the Guardian Corp soldiers carrying off the remaining alive soldiers and some of the dead ones. He stopped in front of the soldiers. "Excuse me? Did any of you see any sign of Lieutenant Farron?" The soldiers shook their heads and moved along with the rest.

Hope lifted his head. "Where did she go?" He kept walking until he made it inside another room. From it, he could recognize it as one of the boiling rooms with huge pots of hot liquid to melt down metal. He searched around, but then suddenly heard something behind them. He jumped out of the way when he saw a big robot hand come at him. His eyes widened in surprised. When he looked over, he saw Rosch in an armored robot that he was controlling. "Director. So nice of you to join us."

Hope pulled out his boomerang as he got ready to fight.

"Thanks to you, we can no longer show our faces." Again, Rosch swung the robot's arm and tried to hit Hope, but Hope jumped back.

Suddenly, he heard a gunshot. His eye winced in pain as he felt a sharp cut into his shoulder. Instantly, he grabbed onto the wounded spot. Hope lifted his eyes to see Raines above him with a gun. He placed the gun down at his side as he glared at him. "Let's end this Director."

Rosch extended the robot's arm off and a claw came toward him. The claw pinned Hope against the wall by entrapping him within its metal points. "Why are you two doing this?"

"At first, we were unsure about Nabaat's plan, but she convinced us of how we could make this world a better place. That's all we wanted to do." Rosch explained.

"Then you've been mislead by her." Hope managed to crawl out of the space of the claw that pinned him against the wall. He ran onto the arm without slipping off. Rosch attempted to knock him off, but Hope grabbed onto his other metal arm, hung on, and then dropped onto where he intended. Quickly, he searched around for some way to stop Rosch's machine from moving while staying in Rosch's blind spot. With his boomerang, he targeted the power source that was on the back top of the machine. With the electric that he generated from his boomerang alone, he was able to overheat the system and caused it to malfunction at the risk of causing his own boomerang not to work anymore.

A worried look came across Rosch's face. "What are you doing?!" Smoke rose from the machine. With it shutting down, it fell onto the ground, leaving Rosch trapped underneath.

Suddenly, Hope heard gunshots again, but quickly ran off, not able to see where Raines was aiming. Once Raines stopped, Hope looked up toward him. "You stopped him at the risk of damaging your own line of defense. You just made yourself an open target."

"Didn't anyone tell you? Just because I don't have anything to shock you with to knock you out instantly doesn't mean I still can't use it. After all aiming is the main thing!" Hope threw his boomerang toward him. Raines managed to dodge his first attempt. Hope tried to control it, but he felt his glove that he used to control it malfunction and hurt his own hand. Unable to hold on, he pulled off his glove and threw it on the ground. There was a little burn on his hand from trying.

The boomerang came back toward Raines, but this time he caught it. "It will take more than this pathetic thing to kill me." He frowned at Hope that was still staring up at him while holding his hand. A displease look came on Raines's face. "I can't believe this. Why would she choose you of all people?"

Hope reacted with confusion because of his words. "What are you talking about?"

"For years, she showed no interest in anyone, but then she chooses you out of nowhere. What makes you so different?"

Hope understood what he meant now. His eyes lowered toward the ground as a smile curved at his lips. At the thought of the pink haired soldier, he couldn't help but feel happy. "Lightning is different from anyone else I've ever met. Maybe she just thinks of me in the same way. Either way, I know one thing's for sure. She loves me and because of that, I'm going to make sure that we both come out of this alive."

Raines became upset. He threw his boomerang off to the side out of Hope's reach. He jumped down to the floor below him and removed his cape. Hope stood ready as Raines approached him. Using his hands, he fought against Hope. Hope managed to block off some of his attacks, but it wasn't enough. Raines landed a few blows on him, causing pain to surge throughout his body. Soon, Hope felt his back hit the wall. He closed his eyes tight as he breathed hard and held his hands to his stomach. There weren't any blows that he could land on Raines. Blood dripped from the side of his lip.

"Give up Director. It's pointless to fight against me."

Hope lifted his head as he opened his eyes. He had to think of some way to hold him back and stop him from fighting. His eyes turned to the side. Across the room, he noticed the boomerang. An idea crossed his mind. It was a risk, but if he could get to it, it might be enough to stop him. An upset look came across his face as he returned his eyes to Raines. "No. I won't. I won't lose here."

Raines swung his fist toward him. Hope watched carefully and waited for the right moment to dodge. His fist ended up against the wall. Hope ducked down and rolled out of the way. He made a dash toward his boomerang. He grabbed onto the boomerang that was on the ground and took off for a place to be safe and hide for a second.

Raines pulled out his gun and began shooting toward him until Hope hid behind one of the pots with boiling liquid. Quickly, Hope began working on his boomerang. Raines began searching around for where he was hiding. "Running away like a coward? I didn't think that was like you." As Raines was searching around, he spotted something. On the ground, he saw one of Hope's gloves near one of the pots. Quietly, he stepped over. When he stepped over to where his glove was, but there was no one there. He reacted with surprise. Raines continued looking around. "Where are you?"

Above him, Hope waited in the darkness on top of a few crates. He jumped down which Raines saw. He knocked him down onto the ground. Hope rolled onto the ground and landed on one hand and knee. Raines looked upset. He was about to rushed after Hope, but Hope moved quicker and held the boomerang to his stomach, giving out an electric shock. The shock coursed through Raines and a little through Hope. Finally, Raines fell onto the ground with his eyes closed. Hope stepped back as he was breathing hard. From the shock that he endured, his body jerked a little after he dropped his boomerang. He checked on Raines and saw that he was still alive.

"Director?!" Hope looked over and saw some of the Guardian Corp soldiers. "Are you all right?"

Hope nodded. "Yeah. Raines and Rosch are here. There still leaves one more that we have to find." Afterwards, he took off running.

* * *

On the top floor level of another boiler room, Lightning's sword met with Nabaat's. There were a few scratches on their uniforms, but they continued on. Their swords clashed again. Lightning glared directly at her. "You're not getting away with this."

Nabaat pressed her teeth together as she looked determined. "Oh? And are you going to stop me little girl?"

With one strong swing, Lightning managed to knock Nabaat's sword out of her hand. She moved quickly and grabbed her sword. She pointed both swords toward her. Nabaat was surprised by her actions, but then looked upset, feeling somewhat cornered. "What? Are you going to kill me now?"

"Despite what you did, I'll let the others deal with you."

Nabaat placed her hand to her chest as she closed her eyes. "I guess you're right. You got me."

Then, Hope ran into the room and searched around frantically. "Lightning?!" Lightning and Nabaat looked over to see Hope on the ground below them. Hope lifted his head and saw them up on the upper level. "Lightning?! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah. Just finishing something." Lightning answered.

Nabaat placed her hands behind her back as they were talking. "I guess now the two of you will be taking me in together."

Lightning turned her attention back to Nabaat. The smirk on her face increased. Hope looked and saw a gun behind her back. "Lightning! Look out!"

Nabaat pulled out her gun and shot toward Lightning. The shot knocked Nabaat's sword out of her hand. Nabaat smiled. She was about to shoot again with her gun, but Hope threw his boomerang and knocked it out of her hand. For interfering she glared at him. Turning her attention back to Lightning, Nabaat rushed toward her. She avoided the slash of Lightning's sword and knocked her down with her fist. On the floor Lightning pushed back against her, keeping as much distance as she could from the edge of her own sword that Nabaat was trying to force down. Lightning pushed back harder and knocked her off. Nabaat ran and grabbed her sword. Then she turned and ran for Lightning.

Hope was worried that Nabaat would strike her first. "Lightning!" He aimed toward Nabaat.

Nabaat saw and avoided his strike. A smirk appeared on her lips. "Once I get rid of your precious girlfriend, you're next Director."

Hope remained serious. His boomerang came back and hit Nabaat against the back, making her lean forward. She managed to grab onto the rail before she could fall onto the floor below. She growled and turned toward Lightning who was standing nearby calm. Angry, Nabaat was about to strike, but Lightning quickly pulled out Nabaat's gun from behind her. She pointed her gun and shot her. Nabaat flew back on to the ground with her eyes closed. Blood leaked onto the floor.

Hope was surprised, but then ran up to the floor above. He met Lightning up at the top. His eyes looked down at Nabaat lying against the floor. "Is she…?"

"No. I left her alive." Lightning's eyes turned over to Hope noticing that he looked beat up. She stepped over toward him. "Are you okay?"

Hope let out a smile. "I'm fine. Everything's okay now. It's over." he said with relief.

* * *

Later, soldiers were standing outside of the factory. They had taken all of the soldiers and the three PSICOM officers away. Through the crowd, Alyssa and Serah ran and found Lightning standing in front of Hope. Lightning was looking at his hand noticing that there was a burn spot. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Hope smiled so that she wouldn't worry. "Yeah. Don't worry."

Lightning lifted her head along with her fingers and touched his face. "Looks like you had a rough fight."

"Got hit a few times, but I got through it. I might need you to teach me how to fight next time." A smile came on her lips. She was just glad that he was all right.

"Lightning!"

Lightning turned her head toward the call and saw Serah running toward her. "Serah." The two embraced each other. A smile came on both of their faces. After they separated, Serah looked up toward Lightning still displaying her smile. Lightning rubbed her hand against her hair. "I'm sorry that I didn't come sooner."

Serah shook her head. "It's okay. I'm fine now." Serah turned her attention to Hope and then went over to hug him. "Thank you."

Hope smiled. "It was nothing."

The two separated and smiled toward each other. His eyes turned and looked over at Lightning who was looking at him. Serah stepped aside as she grinned. Lightning displayed a faint smile. "You were right. We all got out okay. Thank you."

Hope's lips curved into a smile. "It wasn't just me you know."

The two stared at each other until Lightning went forward and hugged him as well. Her face became buried into his shoulder as she embraced him. "I'm glad that you're okay."

Hope overheard her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "You too. I'm glad you're okay too."

Nearby, Alyssa watched what happened. She started to wonder. _"Maybe she really does care about him."_

"Hope!" Hope lifted his head from Lightning as he recognized the familiar voice. He let go of her and looked over. Soon, he spotted his father with a worried look on his face. His eyes ran through the crowd and finally saw Hope. He went over to him and hugged him. "Son? Are you all right?"

Hope separated from him. He was curious as to how he found him. "Yeah. I'm fine."

His father looked down. "I'm sorry about before. I didn't believe you when you said creating those plans would only cause trouble. I guess I was set on making things work out that I didn't listen. I hope that you can forgive me."

Hope smiled a little. "It's all right. Really."

Soon, his father turned his attention to Lightning. "I guess that I have you to thank for looking out for my son."

Lightning glanced at Hope before her eyes returned to his father. "He could handle himself."

"Still. I want to thank you for what you've done and maybe know a little bit about the woman that my son is interested in."

Nervously Hope smiled. "Dad…"

"I insist. How about lunch here one day in the city?"

Lightning looked a little surprised as something had dawned on her. Curiously, Serah lifted her eyes up at her. "Does that mean that we're going to stay here for a little while?"

Lightning wasn't sure how to respond. Her eyes turned to Hope who had the same expression that she did. Now that the danger was over and the situation was resolved, everything would return back to normal before he fled to Bodhum. Where would they go from there? What would happen between them now?

* * *

_Thank you for reading! Find out what happens next time because it will be the last chapter! As always, let me know what you think and I'll be back to update!_

_**On a side note:** I wanted to inform all readers that I have recently started a blog on tumblr to display fanart for the stories and talk more about the stories I have out or coming out. I posted the link at the top of my profile page. I hope that you will please check it out! Thank you! _


End file.
